Cross River hail NIPR on cadernization, pledge quick implementation
Cross River State Government has commended the current leadership of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations for the dogged efforts that resulted in the approval for implementation of Information and Public Relations Officer’s cadre in the Federal and State Civil and Public Service as well as the Private Sector by the 45th Meeting of the National Council on Establishment, which took place in Bauchi State in December 2023.
Cross River State Head of Service, Dr Innocent Eteng stated this in his Office in Calabar while responding to a presentation by the Cross River State Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations,Mr Benedict Okache who led a delegation from the Chapter on an advocacy visit to the Cross River State Head of Service.
Dr. Eteng said the approval of the Information and Public Relations Officer’s cader is a bold initiative to mainstream the Public Relations profession in the schemes of service across Nigeria, describing the moves as a welcome development that will engender great change in Information and Communication management in the Country.
According to the Cross River State Head of Service the communique from the 45th NCE meeting, whose content has already being implemented at the Federal level including the Armed Forces and some States and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is the creation of Information and Public Relations Officers Cadre structured on Salary Grade Level 08 – 17 and Executive Officer will be on Cadre structured on Salary Grade Level 06 – 14 respectively in the schemes of service, adding that Cross River State will speedily take steps to commence implementation for Information Officers in the State Service.
He pointed out that by this development, it is therefore mandatory for all Information Officers as well as those scheduled with Communication and Media related duties in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, to get enrolled and be chartered by the Institute for their continued retention in the State Service.
While calling on the leadership of NIPR to forward useful inputs to the on-going Civil Services reforms in the State,which is coming after over two decades, the Head of Service noted that the reform process became imperative as some of the extant rules are now obsolete and needs to be repealed even as new ones will be introduced in line with current realities and in conformity with the Federal Civil Service.
He assured the Institute that once the relevant documentations are issued a circular to the effect, Cross River State which is already putting machinery in motion for total overhaul of the service, will be the first State to domesticate the circular and follow its compliance, emphasizing that all Information Officers in the State Service must brace up to this development to be fully upgraded in line with the Institute’s establishment Act.
Earlier, the Cross River State Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Public Relations, Mr. Benedict Okache, lauded the Head of Service for his pragmatism and foresight to kick start service reforms which he noted was long overdue and promised to collaborate with his Office and that of the State Attorney General to ensure that the needed reforms regarding Communication Management,Media and Public Relations practice in the service are adequately projected in the Schemes of Service.
On the manpower needs in the State, the State NIPR Chairman announced to the Head of Service the line up of training programmes for different cadres of edia and Public Relations Officers including personnel in the management Cadre in line with current trends and restated their readiness to partner the State in training the staff in the employ of the State
Mr Okache appealed to the Head of Service to fast tract the process of implementation of the newly approved Service Structure for Information and Public Relations Officers in the State.
