NIPR raises alarm over quackery

PRESIDENT of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Mr Rotimi Oladele, has raised alarm over increasing problems of quackery in the public relations profession in the country, saying the situation is affecting image of the practitioners and the institute.

Briefing journalists on the annual national conference/AGM of the institute in Ilorin on Monday, the NIPR president, who was represented by the vice president, Mallam Mukhtar Siraj, said that so many kinds of individuals and businesses, including big names, refer to themselves as public relations practitioners or outfits.

The NIPR boss, who said that the institute was set to reposition the profession, added that part of measures to fight quackery include compilation of membership list, recertification of members and issuance of practice number for each accredited individual member.

He also emphasised on membership registration, saying that any unregistered practising member would be deemed as practising illegally, adding that such people would be arrested and may be imprisoned.

Mr Oladele, who said that information officers in public and private sector were supposed to be members of the institute, added that anyone of them practising illegally would be sanctioned henceforth.

The NIPR boss also appealed to members in Kwara State to recertify as members so as to become full fledged members.

The institute, he said, was already lobbying authorities in government to get PR practitioners in public service to be registered members, in order to help them attain highest level possible in their profession.

He described NIPR as a regulatory body for practice and regulation of PR industry in the country, advising members to abide with provisions of the law relating to the profession.

He said that activities for the annual national conference would include presentation of award to Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, induction of more than a hundred new members and courtesy visit to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, among others.