IPR trains government's PR machinery

The Information Services Department (ISD) in collaboration with the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Ghana, on Monday organised a four-day training programme for public relations officers serving in the various ministries, department and agencies (MDAs).

The training programme, from Jan 14 to 17, is to equip Government PR officers with professional structure for the practice of public relations and also enhance the ability and status of its members as professional practitioners.

The programme is under the theme; “Strategic Public Relations Management in ISD”.

Mr Joseph Allotey-Pappoe, Founding Member of IPR Ghana, expressed satisfaction for the collaboration with the ISD to train its members to be abreast of latest happenings relating to the role of public relations activities in the MDAs.

Mr Allotey-Pappoe said the Ministry of Information had for the past years supported ISD to undertake six-week training programmes for public relations officers in government agencies to improve performance.

He urged the participants to be passionate about their job and take advantage of the opportunity to join the membership of IPR to enhance effective performance.

Mr Elvis Adanina, acting Director of ISD, emphasised the need for regular training courses for public relations officers in the MDAs for effective performance.

He expressed concern about developments within some MDAs where PROs were used as protocol officers or given domestic duties which had no relevance to their professional training.

He stressed the need for public relations officers to be part of management decision, adding that ISD would engage various MDAs on the responsibilities of the public relations officer.

Alhaji A. B. Alhassan, in charge of ISD Research, Statistical and Information Management, said public relations must be recognized as a management function and urged participants to adopt strategic thinking and planning to fashion solutions to problems to meet the mission and vision of the organization.

Alhaji Alhassan appealed to the participants to work hard to improve the image of the organization and always scan the environment to be in tune with current development for amicable solutions.

The participants are expected to go through topics such as Overview of the Public Relations Responsibility; Establishing Corporate Communications Policy, Roles, Functions and Structure; Strategic Public Relations Planning; Budgeting and Evaluation; Setting Objectives; ISDs Media Relations Policy Framework; and Media Interview Techniques.