Gov’t Communications Minister urges PR officers to embody efficiency, professionalism
As part of the World PR day celebrations, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has urged Public Relations Officers within the Information Services Department (ISD) to prioritise efficiency and professionalism in their roles as official spokespersons for their respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDA’s).
In his maiden engagement with the PR officers on Tuesday, the minister stressed that, following government’s restructuring of the hitherto Information Ministry to enhance governance efficiency, a significant portion of responsibilities has been delegated to ISD PRO’s and that the execution of these tasks demanded professionalism, competence and effectiveness.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu encouraged the PR officers to adopt “efficiency” as their guiding principle, underscoring that the Government expects their unwavering commitment and promptness in fulfilling their responsibilities.
“With a leaner political leadership, much of the work now falls on you, and we expect exceptional efficiency from you,” he stated.
Addressing concerns about potential witch-hunts targeting PR officers, he reassured them, stating, “You have our full support to perform your duties. There’s no need to fear repercussions as long as you maintain professionalism in your work.”
Touching on the recent PR reshuffle, the minister clarified that the Government is solely focused on the productivity of PR officers and that any reassignments are intended to optimise operational efficiency.
While acknowledging the challenges of office reassignments and empathising with the officers’ discomfort, Hon. Kwakye Ofosu encouraged them to embrace their new roles and strive for excellence in their new assignments.
He cautioned against engaging in turf wars or partisan politics, emphasising that, while President John Dramani Mahama’s administration has no intention of targeting individuals, PR officers must maintain political neutrality as civil servants.
He also announced plans for quarterly meetings to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional growth among PR officers.
The Acting Director of the ISD, Dr Winnifred Nafisa Mahama, announced that, following a review of the BONSU platform (a digitalised platform used to communicate government policies and programmes) by the government’s communications team, several enhancements are being implemented to integrate modern technological and Artificial Intelligence tools.
Dr Mahama remarked, “We are in a new era, and we must adapt accordingly.” She assured the officers that Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu is deeply interested in their work and would continue to support them as long as they remain diligent and dedicated.
Dr Mahama urged them to avoid competition and instead offer consistent support to their colleagues.
The new Head of Public Relations Coordinating Division of ISD, Rev. Charlotte Hanson, urged all PR officers to join the BONSU platform and regularly update it, as the reports posted will be used for the Mid-Year Assessment.
She emphasised the need for capacity building in this area, noting that some PR officers incorrectly categorise their media engagements under the PR Alert column.
Additionally, Rev. Hanson highlighted the need for capacity building for feature articles, a key deliverable for PR officers, reminding them that they are expected to produce at least one article per quarter, with a total of four articles submitted by the end of the calendar year, and expressed confidence that with this training, they would be well-equipped to meet their targets.
The interactive engagement saw Mr Kwakye Ofosu admitting questions from the PR officers and addressing them.
BY TIMES REPORTER
