From left: Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman and Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Lagos State Chapter, Olusegun McMedal, during a courtesy visit to NPA, recently.

The Nigerian Ports Authority NPA and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations NIPR have resolved to deepen their existing collaborations, especially in terms of training of Public Relations personnel.

Under the collaboration, the NIPR will offer both local and foreign training for the public relations personnel of the NPA with a view to enhancing their proficiency on their jobs and to be abreast with new trends in PR practice.

While receiving the proposal from a delegation of the NIPR Lagos Chapter during a courtesy call, Managing Director of the authority, Hadiza Bala Usman assured that NPA would consider the project on its merits.

She explained that the training department of the authority would study the proposal and make appropriate recommendations to the management.

On other requests presented to her by the institute, the MD assured the delegation that the management would consider the requests within the limit of available resources and budgetary provisions.

Speaking further at the occasion, the MD said among the “key operational thrust” of the organisation under her leadership is the preparation of officers for greater performances, adding that NPA welcomes synergies that would results in greater operational efficiency even coming from amongst others, capacity building which would help boost the output of the NPA and also ultimately result in national development “It would also bring about effective future leadership that would drive the economy towards a desirable anchor, she added”.

Earlier the Chairman of the NIPR Lagos State Chapter, Olusegun McMedal who lead the delegation to the NPA, said the institute would partner the authority in the area of effective information management, stressing that in doing that it was also critical that the professional practice in the authority concerning Public Relations be strategically guided through industry guidelines.

Mr. McMedal sought sponsorship from NPA for the institute’s various programmes and projects which he said are tailored to impact most positively on the society. He used the opportunity to invite the Managing Director as the guest speaker during the forth coming Public Relations Week focusing on “effective leadership”, holding in June.

He also told management that the Institute aspires across board to engage leadership and stakeholders through networking with the view to ensuring existing relationship do not just grow but are deepened so as to generate the dividends of best practices.

The NIPR chairman congratulated the management of the NPA on the vast successes accomplished since mounting the saddle which he said have boosted the nation’s economy.

The NIPR established in 1963 is a non-governmental, professional association of Public Relations practitioners chartered by law to regulate and develop the public relations, public affairs and communication practice with very functional chapters spread across the nation.