USAID Nigeria State2State kicks off 3-days workshop for Information officers in Ebonyi

By Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki

An orientation workshop on Communication Strategy for Priority Ministries and the Internal Revenue Service organized by the Nigeria State Accountability, Transparency, and Effectiveness (state2state) Activity,has been declared open in Abakaliki. The workshop is said to be part of the working relationship between USAID and Ebonyi state government and Civil Society Organisations towards transparent, accountable, and effective governance for improved service delivery in three priority sectors including Education, Health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

Speaking during the opening session, the Facilitator of the Programme, Nneke Egbuna said the strategy would provide a framework for effective communication and engagement with the public on the state's policies, programmes and achievements. She maintained that in as much as the orientation was meant for the information Officers in the state, the objectives are to acquint them with the state Communication Strategy and its implementation action plan, develop a scope of work to implement the strategy and to improve the Information Officer's capacities on the use of tools to effectively carry out their functions. Egbuna disclosed that the three days orientation would featured lectures, interactions and learning cum sharing of ideas, review of the scope of work, provided feedback and an adoption of an action plan. In a remarks, the Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT in Ebonyi State, Comrade Tony Nwizi said that the orientation would deepen the knowledge of the Information Officer's in the state on how to better explain the activities of the government in the chosen sectors to the public adding that once these areas are the core sectors of human development, the objectives of the USAID would be appreciated in the state. In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Ebonyi state, Comrade Samson Nwafor expressed appreciation to USAID and the State Team Lead, for considering Ebonyi state for the orientation and maintained that Ebonyi is on the fast track of development and as such, the public should be kept abreast of what the government is doing for them, which is the main job of the Information Officers. On his part, the Public Relations Officer in Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Sylvester Egede thanked the organisers of the programme and assured that what they have learnt would be put into their daily practice in the state.