Strategic public communication requires a lot of skills including experience, fearlessness, networking, creativity, intuition and above all, a good command of language.
Meanwhile for public institutions, especially in Nigeria, there is an existing politics of relevance and cat-and-mouse game in implementing communication strategies. It is necessary to state from the outset that currently in the public service, there is existing dichotomy between permanent staff and personal aides. While permanent staff is recruited through rigorous and competitive exercises, personal aides on the other hand, who mostly go with the title of Special Assistants, are merely handpicked by the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to perform the job of public relations.
It is non-deniable, the fact that, most personal aides have proved to be tested, highly competent and result-oriented in their assigned responsibilities. In most cases too, through their charismatic dispositions personal aides instruct, direct and delegate responsibilities to permanent staff but which can be embarrassing.
Experience has shown that even though an average permanent staff may have the necessary qualification, they perform poorer than their colleagues mostly because of a lack of experience and exposure, probably out of intimidation and lack of self-confidence, timidity, cowardice and lack of commitment on major responsibilities. It is therefore not surprising that the so-called Special Assistants are calling the shots in the areas of strategic public communication.
While I personally have reservation for Special Advisers or Personal Assistants taking over the job of information officers in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government, there is urgent need for the civil service, and in this case the Federal Ministry of Information, to encourage and motivate officers to put in their best in their roles and discard the ideas of other agencies of government recruiting the retinue of media aides.
The appointment of personal aides are political and a drain on the scarce resources of government. They are not required in the public service although they can provide expertise and other services through consultancies than taking over the jobs of permanent officers.
Information officers can continue to provide basic roles of information management, which include issuing press releases, writing features, organising press briefings, responding to media enquiries as well as undertaking regular news-clip.
Rather than having special aides on media and communication, the agencies can hire their services as consultants to provide technical know-how and supports in the areas of event management, capacity building, reputation management, crisis management, specialised publication editorial services, media monitoring and strategic news placements.
As the country is facing economic recession, there are many ways to cut unnecessary public spending. The idea of back-door or direct recruitment of media aides even when there is a retinue of in-house press officers is antithesis, unwholesome and contentious.
Let’s promote the information officers to be more independent, assertive, effective and efficient in providing the service
