The Chairman of the Compliance and Enforcement Committee of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), General Chris Olukolade (rtd.) has said that machineries are being put in place to sanction individuals who are practising public relations without certification as required by relevant laws.
At the inaugural meeting of the committee, which has top public relations professionals in the security, paramilitary, public service and the private sector as members, Olukolade said that the institute is putting in place appropriate structures at all levels to effectively enforce NIPR laws and practices by liaising with the council of the institute to set up chapter level Compliance and Enforcement Committee in all states.
Olukolade, a former Director Defence Information, said: “Apart from our plan to mobilise and engage in sensitisation campaigns with various stakeholders and the public, we are working towards setting up the NIPR Tribunal for the prosecution of quacks who are practising PR illegally without proper registration as required by the NIPR Act”.
He said the committee would soon commence monitoring of advertisements and recruitments relating to public relations practice and initiate the process of the prosecution of individuals and corporate bodies operating in violation of the NIPR Act.
The committee secretary, Dr. Igwe Chibueze said its terms of reference included liaising with the state chapters to establish functional monitoring and compliance team that would ensure nationwide monitoring and maximum compliance to the NIPR Act; identify organisations that recruit non-members of NIPR for appropriate actions, secure the support of relevant regulatory and professional bodies to appreciate the implication of NIPR Act with regards to employment and contracts for public relations jobs and consultancies.
Other committee members who attended the inaugural meeting included former Army, Navy and Police spokespersons, Brigadier General Sani Usman (rtd.), Commodore Kabir Aliyu (rtd), Commissioner of Police (Dr.) Emmanuel Ojukwu (rtd.) respectively; Director of Public Relations of the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren; and Customs spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Abdullahi Maiwada.
Others included the President Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), Mr Israel Jaiye Opayemi; Chairperson NIPR Lagos State chapter, Mrs. Comfort Obot Nwankwo; Chairman NIPR Bauchi, Mohammed Rabiu Wada; Chairman Oyo State chapter NIPR, Mr Goke Adelabu; and General Manager Oyo State Radio, Pastor Yemisi Femi-Oyekola.
Other serving security officers on the committee include Deputy Inspector General Frank Mba; Dr. Peter Afunanya of Department of State Services (DSS); Brigadier General Tukur Gusau and Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, respectively of the Defence Headquarters and Army Headquarters; Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet of Air Force, and Navy Commodore Kayode Ayo-Vaughan; Comptroller (Dr.) Ben Oramalugo of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Deputy Comptroller Dotun Aredegbe, Assistant Commissioner of Police Muyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer; and Chief Superintendent Afolabi Babawale of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
During the recent inauguration of the committee, NIPR President, Dr. Ike Neliaku charged the members to be firm, decisive and uncompromising in enforcing the content of the 1990 NIPR Practitioners Act, now Cap N114 Laws of the Federation, 2004.
He explained that the appointment of senior security officers into the committee is part of the NIPR Governing Council’s response to the growing demand by certified public relations practitioners to rid the profession of unlicensed interlopers, otherwise known as quacks.
Neliaku said the NIPR Act in Section 19 (2) prohibits any person from practising public relations without certification from the NIPR and in same section 19 (4a and b) prescribes appropriate punishments for offenders, which include fine, imprisonment or both.
He added that with the inauguration of the NIPR Act Compliance Committee, any fresh appointment of a non-registered member of the Institute from Tuesday, 24th October 2023 would be subjected to prosecution in accordance with the provisions of the law.
He called on defaulting organisations to ensure that their appointees register and regularise with the Institute between October and 31st December 2023 as the full enforcement regime for this category of offenders would commence from 1st January 2024.
The NIPR helmsman condemned the consistent violation of the Act by many government establishments who appoint non-registered persons as spokespersons, officers of public relations functions, Corporate Affairs and Public Affairs, among others, especially in this present dispensation.
“The NIPR has noticed with great displeasure, the increasing trend of corporate rascality in appointing Spokespersons by most agencies of government, which we must all rise to stop forthwith, noting that every institution of government ordinarily should be a ‘respecter’ of the law and not a violator”, he said.
For several years, the NIPR has embarked on advocacy campaigns to enlighten members of the public on the provisions of the Act.
