The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), in collaboration with the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch, on Tuesday in trained Information and Public Relations Officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) on “Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Management.”
The one-day workshop, held in Abuja, was aimed at strengthening the capacity of information managers to effectively interpret and communicate government policies, ensure transparency, and counter misinformation in the public space.
Declaring the training open, the Director-General of BPSR, Mr. Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, said the programme was designed to empower officers with practical skills for effective planning, analysis, and dissemination of government policies and reforms.
“The success of any government is the sum total of the performance of its MDAs that implement policies and programmes. For these to succeed, citizens’ support is indispensable. But citizens cannot support what they do not understand.”
He emphasized that in an era of fake news, biased reporting, and distorted narratives, government communicators must provide clarity, credibility, and context to secure citizens’ trust and buy-in.
Arabi further noted that with communication platforms now fragmented by the rise of digital and social media, government could no longer afford to be reactive but must take the lead in shaping public discourse.
The BPSR DG urged participants to apply the knowledge gained in their various MDAs, stressing that timely and accurate communication was critical to governance and effective service delivery.
The workshop also featured discussions on crisis and risk communication, stakeholder engagement strategies, and best practices for improving government communication systems.
Arabi, while commending the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for their support, reaffirmed BPSR’s commitment to strengthening reforms across the public service.
Signed
Aliyu Umar
Head, Strategic Communications (BPSR)
26th August, 2025.
