The Chairman of the Compliance and Enforcement Committee of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, retired General Chris Olukolade, has disclosed that machinery was being put in place to sanction individuals who practise public relations (PR) without certification.
Mr Olukolade made the disclosure at the inaugural meeting of the committee which comprises top public relations practitioners in the security, paramilitary, public service and the private sector.
According to him, appropriate structures are being put in place at all levels to effectively enforce NIPR laws and practices, especially the setting up of chapter level Compliance and Enforcement Committee in all states.
“Apart from our plan to mobilise and engage in sensitisation campaigns with various stakeholders and the public, we are working towards setting up the NIPR Tribunal for the prosecution of quacks who are practising PR illegally without proper registration as required by the NIPR Act,” he said.
Mr Olukolade said the committee would soon commence monitoring of advertisements and recruitments relating to public relations practice and initiate the process of the prosecution of individuals and corporate bodies operating in violation of the NIPR Act.
Also speaking at the inaugural meeting, the secretary of the Committee, Dr. Igwe Chibueze, said the committee’s terms of reference include liaising with the state chapters to establish functional monitoring and compliance team that would ensure nationwide monitoring and maximum compliance to the NIPR Act;
Identify organisations that recruit non-members of NIPR for appropriate actions, secure the support of relevant regulatory and professional bodies to appreciate the implication of NIPR Act with regards to employment and contracts for PR jobs and consultancies.
