The Zamfara State Local Government Service Commission, in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Zamfara State Chapter, held a three-day capacity-building workshop for Local Government Information Officers (IOs) and Public Relations Practitioners in the state.
The workshop, themed “Managing Information Dissemination in a Challenging Environment,” was held from Tuesday, 7th to Thursday, 9th October 2025, at the Commission’s training hall in Gusau, the state capital.
Delivering his goodwill message, the Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Yakubu Sani Haidara, MNI, commended the organizers for the initiative, describing it as timely in strengthening professionalism in public communication.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Engr. Ahmed Garban Yandi, urged participants to apply the knowledge gained in reshaping communication practices across the 14 local government councils.
The NIPR National President, represented by Dr. Lawal Umar Maradun (FNIPR, PhD), applauded the collaboration, emphasizing that effective public communication remains a cornerstone of transparency and good governance.
Participants take a stand
Papers presented during the event covered key topics including “The Evolving Role of Public Relations in Information Dissemination” by Aliyu Damri, “Empowering Government Communicators in the Digital Age” by Mal. Sulaiman Umar Dansadau, and “Managing Public Perception Through Proactive Communication” by Nasir Usman Biyabiki, among others.
In a communiqué jointly signed by Bashir Kabir Ahmad, GNIPR, FDMSS, Director of Information and Public Relations, and Muhammad Habib Alhassan, ANIPR, former Chairman, NIPR Zamfara State Chapter, participants resolved to strengthen the role of public relations as a core function of local governments by adopting modern, transparent, and citizen-centered communication practices.
They also called for capacity building, improved infrastructure, and the provision of working tools such as digital equipment, laptops, cameras, and mobility support for information dissemination.
The communiqué further urged local government information officers to uphold professionalism, ethics, and objectivity in their work, while serving as vital bridges between government and the governed.
The workshop concluded with a call on the Zamfara State Local Government Service Commission to sustain the initiative through regular training, monitoring, and collaboration with the NIPR to ensure all IOs are registered and certified as professional members of the Institute.
