High commands of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have been urged to place enhanced importance on their Public Relations Officers to enable them function effectively in positive image building for the service and in the fight against irregular migration.
The call was made by the head of team, International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), Raefel Mois Molina during a two-day capacity building workshop organized for Public Relations Officers drawn from across commands and formations of the service.
The workshop which was held on Wednesday November 24, and Thursday 24, 2021 at Watbridge Hotel, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, had the theme: Communication Strategies as an Effective Tool in the Prevention of Migrants Smuggling and Human Trafficking”.
It was organized by Nigeria Immigration Services in conjunction with a Spanish Non-Governmental Organization, FIIAPP under the sponsorship of European Union (EU).
The team leader, Raefel Mois Molina who was represented by the Senior Project Officer of FIIAPP in Nigeria Mr. Joseph Sanwo, noted that the workshop was a contribution to capacity building of the Public Relations Officers of the NIS, said the massive revolution in ICT is increasingly demanding that Public Relations practitioners must invest in huge capacity building efforts to remain relevant in modern Public Relations practice,.
“Heads of Commands and formations should place enhanced importance to their Public Relations Officers to enable them function effectively in positive image building and in the fight against irregular migration;
“More measures should be emplaced to regularly improve the capacity of the Public Relations Officers to build communication messages around irregular migration.” Molina added, “deliberate efforts should be constantly emplaced to foster healthy relationships between the Service and its publics.”
The workshop was organized by Nigeria Immigration Services in conjunction with Spanish Non-Governmental Organization, FIIAPP under the sponsorship of European Union (EU).
Declaring the Workshop opening on Wednesday, the acting Comptroller General, Isah Jere Idris who was represented by Comptroller of Immigration Service in-charge of Akwa Ibom State Command, Compt. George Didel described the theme of the Workshop as apt and timely especially now that cases of Smuggling of Migrants (SoM) and Trafficking in Person (TIP) are at the front burner in major global discourses.
Jere who commended the organizers, (FIIAPP) for taking the initiative to contribute to enhanced capacity development for NIS spokespersons believed it would translate to the good image of the service,
Renowned resource persons including the Service Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller Amos Okpu were on hand to deliver incisive presentations to the participants.
