The NIPR Imo State Chapter paid a courtesy call on the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Honourable Declan Emeliumba, on Thursday, 16 April 2026, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Owerri. The visit was led by Chapter Chairman Mr. Zandas Okeke Otigba and included Public Relations Officer Ukana Omon, Welfare Officer Destiny Akunesi, and member Ada Oke.
The meeting covered three substantive areas: the formal investiture of Governor Hope Uzodimma as Patron of the Imo State Chapter, support for the Chapter’s delegation to the Nigerian Public Relations Week (NPRW) 2026 in Kaduna, and a proposed collaboration framework between the Chapter and the Ministry.
Chairman Otigba formally notified the Commissioner of the national mandate for state chapters to invest their governors as patrons ahead of the World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) in Abuja in November 2026, at which President Bola Tinubu is expected to be invested as Grand Patron of NIPR. Governors in Cross River and Nasarawa States have already been invested. The Commissioner received the proposal positively, and with the government signalling commitment to the investiture, the Chapter will now commence official correspondence to set the process in motion. The ceremony will be held at the Governor’s convenience.
The Chairman also briefed the Commissioner on the Chapter’s planned delegation to the NPRW 2026 in Kaduna, running from 19 to 25 April, themed “Nigeria’s Food Security: From Policy Paper to Public Plates: The Imperatives of Public Relations.” Letters had been addressed to both the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Agriculture, in keeping with the conference’s focus on food security communication. The Chapter sought state support for its participation. The Commissioner acknowledged the constraints of government financial processes given the short lead time, and indicated a willingness to engage the matter directly. He suggested the Chapter table the WPRF in Abuja well in advance to allow adequate preparation on the government’s side.
On collaboration, the Chapter proposed a training and retraining programme for public relations and information officers across Imo State’s ministries, departments, and agencies, following the federal government’s recognition of public relations as a distinct professional cadre in the civil service. A second strand of the proposal would see the Chapter support the Ministry in amplifying government messaging through its professional network and media contacts. The Commissioner welcomed both proposals and asked the Chapter to submit formal documents with cost implications addressed to the Governor through his office.
The Commissioner also committed to restoring the NIPR Imo State Chapter to the Ministry’s official mailing list for government events and programmes, an administrative gap the Chairman had raised during the visit.
Closing the meeting, Commissioner Emelumba congratulated the new executive committee and expressed confidence in the capacity and focus of its members.
The Chapter will submit formal correspondence on all three matters in the coming week.
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Imo State Chapter, is the chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in Imo State. It operates under the NIPR Act (CAP n114, LFN 2004) and is committed to professional regulation, ethical practice, and the development of its members.