Re-brand Ghana in attitude, style – Gender Minister tells IPR

Ghana flagsThe Institute of Public Relations (IPR) and its partners have been asked to take up the challenge to ensure that Ghana is re-branded in attitude, style and structure.

Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, who made the call, said the IPR must work to ensure that “this country sees Image as everything”.

Speaking at the launch of the 2013 IPR Week in Accra on Tuesday, Mrs. Lithur said Ghana had an uphill task as far as image and branding was concerned, saying that “we must make a paradigm shift from the anything goes attitude and insist on standards across board. It is our image and attitude that will attract or dispel before real business is done”.

The theme for the 2013 IPR Week is “Strategic Public Relations in a Challenging Economy: an Essential Tool for Nation Building”.

Mrs. Lithur, who is an honorary member of IPR, said strategic public relations, was a critical tool for nation building only when it was informed by research, planning and effective implementation and monitoring evaluation.

She said public relations which deal with how organizations, companies and individuals communicate with the public and the media directly or indirectly must encompass a strong image, impression or reputation created and maintain with audience right from the gate or security post to the board rooms.

She expressed the hope that the week-long event would generate a vigorous debate on the premium placed on the image of practitioners, particularly in the public sector.

Major (Rtd) Albert Don-Chebe, President of IPR, said the event, observed in October every year, was to shine the spotlight on PR practitioners and do public relations for themselves and also to spend time and effort, building and consolidating members’ profession.

Major Don-Chebe, who is also the Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, said as the IPR had just clocked 40 years, and has entered its age of maturity, adding that, the public manifestation of its maturity could be seen in all spheres of life in Ghana.

He said the choice of the theme reflected the current socio-political and economic climate in the country, particularly, at a time when the country was slowly emerging from the shadow of a rancorous election exercise and a debilitating judicial contest and against the backdrop of the most grievous energy challenges.

He said it was therefore time to usher in effective PR strategies and models to calm the feuding entities in the country, building bridges of understanding and also establishing a framework for the successful co-operation and collaboration amongst the differing social and political classes travelling “on board MV Ghana i.e. the Ghanaian Ship of state”

“This is our one and sole ship of state and if it is steered onto rocks, there will be no survivors, so to speak”.

Activities earmarked for the week includes a lecture on the theme, with the main speaker being Captain Prince Kofi Amoabeng. It would be held on Tuesday 29th October at the British Council Hall at 1700 hours.

On Wednesday October 30, the IPR General- Meeting would also be held at the same venue at 1000 hours.

Source: GNA

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