Public Relations practitioners have been advised to regularise their membership with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, the professional body which regulates the practice in Nigeria.
The call was made at the monthly business meeting of NIPR Rivers State Chapter when the Honuorable Commissioner for Information and Communications Rivers State, Warisenibo Joe Johnson obtained his registration form to regularise his membership with the Institute.
He expressed the willingness of the State Ministry of Information and Communications to work with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
Chairman NIPR Rivers State, Rev. Francis Asuk lauded the gesture of the Honourable Commissioner as a step in the right direction as the chief Information manager in the State.
He called on public relations managers in government and private establishments to regularise their membership with the NIPR as it is the only i00nstitute recognised by law to regulate public relations practice in Nigeria.
Rev. Asuk emphasised that a special task force set up by the President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations would begin enforcement for non-members who are in the practice as such amounts to quackery and punishable by law.
“The NIPR was established in 1963 and became an act in 1990 and this mandates every person who practices Public Relations both in government and private organisations to belong to the institute, otherwise you are a quack.
“You are not just becoming a member but you would be equipped with professional support and ethics that guide the profession and you have many training opportunities to build your capacity.
“So we are glad that the Honourable Commissioner has taken this bold step and we are sure all Information Officers in the State Ministry who are not yet members would follow suit as well as others in other government and private organisations because soon the task force set up by the National would begin work, but we enjoin those who are yet to comply to regularise their membership with the Institute,” he said.
Rev. Asuk noted that Nigeria is in dire need of Public Relations professionals who are properly armed to tackle the various public relations challenges in the country and NIPR is there to fill that gap.
