The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago has assured members of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations of his commitment to providing a safer environment for the residents of the state.
The governor promised to plant one million trees in line with the campaign to green the environment and affirmed that his government has taken steps to ensure that the promise is fulfilled.
Bago received the council and members of the NIPR in the Niger State Government House over the weekend when the institute conducted an early morning workout as part of activities to celebrate their Diamond Jubillee anniversary with the theme: “Safeguarding the Environment of Nigeria.”
The governor was represented at the event by the Niger State Head of Service, Abubakar Salisu, who said the New Niger Agenda of the Governor was poised to remodelling the state and make it conducive for growth, development and investment.
“My administration is committed to a safe environment, and give priority to the ongoing one million tree planting campaign of Niger State.
“We are also embarking on an agricultural revolution to ensure food security for the state and the country at large, and so NIPR should assist the state in propagating the New Niger Agenda,” he said.
The National President of NIPR, Ike Neiliaku, in his remarks thanked the governor for his developmental strides in the state, affirming that at the completion of the New Niger Agenda project, indigenes and visitors who had not been to the state for long may not recognise it due to the rapid developmental changes.
He explained the reason for choosing Niger State as their destination point for the celebration of the institute’s 60th anniversary celebration, saying that it was among others to hail other stakeholders on the growth and developmental strides of the institute.
The institute Council members were to later take a detour to the palace of the Emir of Minma, His Royal Highness Farouk Bahago to seek royal blessings and pay homage to the monarch for ensuring peace and stability in his domain.
Emir Bahago appreciated the NIPR for recognising the traditional institutions in the country and urged the council members to remain committed and dedicated to attaining and sustaining the NIPR vision.
Apart from the early morning workout from the Bomas Junction in Minna to the Niger Government House where they met with Bago, the team also embarked on a tree planting exercise at the three arms zone where they planted 60 trees symbolising its 60 years of existence and to the kick-start of the 2024 World Environment Day.
Neiliaku noted that just as the members were planting 60 trees in Niger State, so were members planting 60 trees in the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.
The NIPR boss explained, “If you calculate 60 times 37 states, you can imagine how many trees the NIPR is planting this day. This is an indication that the NIPR is spearheading the campaign to plant trees on this World Environment Day,” he stressed.
Lamenting the deforestation that he said is fast taking over the country, Neiliaku noted, “We must do all we can to save the environment, keep sustainability and be conscious of the environmental mess so as to save and restore nature of the future.”
The NIPR team also visited the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport, where it had a first-hand experience with the hundreds of tractors the governor had earlier purchased for Bago’s planned agricultural revolution.
The team equally visited the constructed residential quarters of commissioners and other principal officers of the Bago government.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Malagi represented by the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, Jubrin Ndace in an interview with newsmen assured the NIPR that the country will sustain their partnership in achieving the national value chain policy of the Federal Government.
In a similar interview, the NIPR national president disclosed that the dynamics has changed as Public Relations is now a leadership function, which he said informs the increase in values of PR for strategic and effective communication.
He rolled out some of the plans of the institute’s future projects to include the establishment of a Public Relations and Leadership University to be located in Nassarawa State, identify Nigerian challenges as a project rebirth, citizens and value reorientation, promote made in Nigeria goods, promote service delivery, create museum for national leadership and icon as well as rebuild the Nigerian reputation, among others.
