NEWLY appointed special adviser to the president on media and public communications, Daniel Bwala, says he is taking over the role of Ajuri Ngalele, who stepped aside recently as special adviser to the president on media and publicity.
He made the disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s political programme, Politics Today, anchored by Seun Okinbaloye.
He affirmed that his primary constituency will be managing the State House Press Corps and functioning as the official spokesman of the president.
Bwala, however, noted that there are other presidential spokespersons operating from outside the Presidential Villa, mentioning Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and National Orientation who works from the offices of the Minister of Information and National Orientation.
The new presidential aide said he would do the same work as Ngelale except that the nomenclature of his designation makes his role as a spokesman even sharper.
The conversation he had with the programme anchor went thus:
Anchor: You effectively replaced Ajuri Ngelale. That’s your office now because I understand from the presidency that that office has not been used since Ajuri left the villa.
Bwala: When he was there, I think the nomenclature was special adviser on media and publicity. And now that role is called special adviser of Media and public communications (State House).
Anchor: So there’s one outside of the State House.
Bwala: Yeah.
Anchor: …which is Sunday Dare
Bwala: …who operates from the office of the minister of Information.
Anchor: So how does that work?
Bwala: What do you mean, how does that work? What do you mean?
Anchor: If there are two different people occupying similar or same position because the nomenclature is simply the same.
Bwala: No, it’s not. His own, the last word there, the catchword there is national orientation. So, public communication and orientation operating from the office of the minister of information. But I don’t know the full description and I do not have the locus standi or the authority to describe anybody else’s role. You understand?
Anchor: But your role, have you been briefed by the president?
Bwala: Well, the president travelled, but I have communicated with the president.
Anchor: You’ve spoken with the chief of staff is it? You’ve had meetings with him, too.
Bwala: The chief of staff, we have been in touch. We’ve been in touch.
Anchor: I mean assuming office today…
Bwala: I just resumed today.
Anchor: That’s what I’m saying. You couldn’t have assumed office, you’ve gotten your tag, and access to a brief of office.
Bwala: I went to the villa and as soon as they saw me, they said congratulations. They cleared me, and I went to have meeting with the communications team and after the meeting, then I proceeded to address the State House press corps, which is the primary constituency, my primary constituency, and then that’s it for today.
Anchor: So what has changed between what Ajuri was doing and what you would be doing?
Bwala: I don’t understand what has changed.
Anchor: Because publicity is not part of the nomenclature of your own office.
Bwala: But public communication makes it even sharper, communicating with the public.
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