By Uzo Ugwunze
The Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor has tasked information officers under the ministry to hit the ground running by reporting all developmental activities and projects of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, saying that they do not necessarily need to be All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA members to promote the good work of the present state government administration.
The Commissioner gave the directive during an interactive session with all the staff cum information officers (IOs) employed in the Ministry at the Head of Service, Auditorium, Jerome Udoji, Secretariat, Awka.
Dr. Mefor started by lamenting that the governor’s activities were underreported insisting that there must be a paradigm shift. “We cannot have over 180 information officers and yet the reports sent in by the IO’s do not make up to 10 percent on the Anambra State website.
“We need feed back, every information officer should report at least once a week. A report evaluation module will be compiled regularly. In fact, after every three weeks any information officer who did not file in any report will be withdrawn from the person’s duty station and he or she becomes a floating officer.
“If the Principal officer at your duty station is not cooperating report back to me and I will pay that person a visit.
“Infact,we shall commence a LGA and MDAs tour to check and assert the responsibilities of the State Information Officers. Sometimes, they do not even know why you are there because if they knew they have no reason not to carry you along.
I have three months to deliver or return to Abuja. So I seek your cooperation as a matter of responsibility to join my vision and passion to promote the good works of this present administration which have been unprecedented since the inception of the state”, said Mefor.
In her remark, the Permanent Secretary Barr Mrs Ndirika Onyekwelu said ‘Our commissioner is an ‘A’ person so we are very lucky to have him at the helm of the affairs. He was appointed today and the next day he was already hosting press briefing with every Sector needed to make things work in the state.
“I met some air of despondency when I resumed in this ministry but since Law Mefor came on board the atmosphere has changed. Do you know that for the first time, during the last ANSEC meeting, it started with a commendation by Mr Governor who acknowledged our Commissioner’s impact in less than three weeks of appointment, what a good note to start with”, said Mrs Onyekwelu.
Also,HOD Information, Emma Ikegwuani after commending the Commissioner said that a strategic roaster will be drawn to ensure that week in week out the ministry’s presence was felt in the social media to ensure that the activities of the government were reported and reacted upon.
He further pledged on behalf of the Information Officers that the ministry will run at the pace of the Commissioner to actualize his vision.
The HOD Film department, Mr Peter Onyejegbu observed that most LGA and MDAs principal officers do not like working with our state information officers. He suggested that a correspondent be written to the heads of Agencies and LGAs to assert the presence of the State information officers.
Several information officers suggested ways to improve performance, efficiency and productivity in the Ministry. The Observations include overhauling and equiping of the Situation room and ICT room with modern gadgets. The need for all IO’s to register or obtain the official government email Anambra.gov.ng since the
‘Anambra State ICT department was ready to collaborate with the Ministry of Information. Need to provide identity cards and jackets for field workers, iPads and data so as to equip and motivate the information officers.
The commissioner promised to look into the challenges facing the information officers and promised to do his best to protect their interest so long as it will enhance performanc and productivity towards a liveable, desirable Anambra State.