MEFOR MULLS CREATION OF MORE DEPARTMENTS IN ANAMBRA INFORMATION MINISTRY, RETRAINING OF STAFF ON NEW COMMUNICATION SKILLS

By Rose Oranye :

Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, has expressed readiness to look into the possibility of creating more departments in the Anambra State Ministry of Information for optimal performance.

Speaking when he received the executive members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ministry of Information Chapel, who paid him a courtesy visit at his office in Awka, Dr. Mefor noted that adding one or two departments, training staff, equipping the Situation Room, and provision of a bus or two, among others, will help to further promote the good works of the government.

“I’m particular about training. Even those who have degrees in Mass Communication or Journalism need to be retrained because things are radically changing. The new media has altered everything. If you don’t upgrade to meet up, sticking to the old method will make the world leave you behind. The world is at the top now, no longer a global village as thought by Marshall McLuhan. Even in government, some agencies have gone so far. There’s a need for on-the-job training so that we can drive our mandate and statutory responsibilities. We really need to change our old ways. There is now a compelling need for a paradigm shift,” he said.

The Commissioner further thanked the union leaders for accepting him as their member and urged the workers to add ginger to what they do, while assuring that he would try to mobilise and motivate them as much as possible and provide the needed leadership.

Earlier, the Ministry of Information Chapel Chairman of NUJ, Dr Stanley Ikem Onunkwo, lauded the Commissioner for his hard work and explained that the visit was to officially welcome and brief him on the Ministry’s activities.

He requested the Commissioner’s intervention in creating more departments, equipping the Situation Room, training workers, and providing a bus for the Ministry.

Present at the visit were the Acting Director of Information, Emma Ikegwuani, and his deputy, Mrs. Chinyere Ogbuagu; Secretary of the Union, Obinna Obiadi; and Mr. Peter Onyejekwu.

*Oranye is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State.