Publics Relations practitioners advised to uphold tenets of professionalism

She urged the professionals to take up the challenge in ensuring that trust, truth and transparency were employed in their respective field of work.

The Deputy Minister said this in Accra at a leadership discussion to mark this year’s World Public Relations Day, organised by the Global Media Alliance.

She said the practice of public relations was an essential tool in building relationships, preventing crises, achieving business objectives and preventing altercations that could ruin a company or lead nations to war.

Government, she said, had over the years ensured that trust, truth and transparency were adopted in its sustainable development and expressed commitment to creating a high level of openness in its governance.

Ms Abubakar stated that the Government in 2019 passed into law the Right To Information Bill which allowed citizens to have access to public documents and information.

Government in 2021 through the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative and its partners, launched Ghana’s Opening Extractive Programme to advance the beneficial ownership transparency programme in the country.

The initiative, she said, was part of efforts to address corruption risks and enhance transparency in the business climate in the country.

She said the Government had leveraged on public communication during the global spread of COVID-19 to provide timely information to the citizenry to build public trust.

The Ministry, she stressed, would continue to play its role to facilitate free flow of adequate, timely and reliable information and feedback between the Government and the public for socio-economic empowerment and enhanced democratic citizenship.

Mr Ernest Boateng, the Chief Executive Officer, Global Media Alliance, said the celebration of the day offered an opportunity for all public relations professionals to spearhead the right conversations and better position the industry to perform its functions effectively.

He said the public relations profession had significantly contributed to building society and fostering proper discourse and mutual relations between stakeholders, urging practitioners to abide by the ethics of the profession.

Mr Gayheart Mensah, the Lead Consultant, Komskraft Consult, advised public relations practitioners to have a good anticipatory skill on national issues to communicate effectively during crisis situations.

He urged political communicators to be truthful and act in a transparent manner to build consensus on important national issues.

Ms Akua Owusu-Nartey, the Regional Managing Director, Ogilvy Africa, advised public relations students’ to constantly build their capacities in the field and to be abreast with the modern trend of the profession.

Ms Deborah Kwablah, the Public Affairs Manager, Nestle Ghana Limited, urged the practitioners to build credibility in the profession and established a good working relationship with the public.