EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, KEY TO CHANGING PUBLIC PERCEPTION - SPEAKER ABBAS

 

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has emphasized that effective communication by spokespersons is crucial in reshaping public perception of the government and its institutions.

 

He explained that this is why the 10^th House, under his leadership, has made legislative activities more accessible to the public through citizens’ engagements.

 

Speaker Abbas made the remarks during the opening ceremony of the 2^nd Nigeria Spokespersons Summit and the conferment of honorary fellowship by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in Abuja.

 

At the event, he was honored with an Honorary Fellowship of the institute.

 

He said: “Effective leadership communication is key to improving public perception of government institutions. In the House, we have taken concrete steps to make our legislative processes more accessible. We now live-stream plenary sessions, publish committee reports in real-time, and provide sign language interpretation during debates.’’

 

“For the first time in the history of the National Assembly, the 10^th House is conducting annual self-assessments and presenting its scorecard to the Nigerian public. All these demonstrate that our legislature is a vibrant, accessible institution committed to restoring public trust.” – Abbas.

 

The Speaker appreciated the NIPR leadership and the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation for hosting the summit and recognizing the efforts in strengthening public communication.

 

He also noted that the theme of the summit, ‘Integrity and the Evolving Roles of Spokespersons in Leadership Communication’, is both timely and enduring.

 

Speaker Abbas said: “Today, I wish to address the challenges and opportunities of communicating leadership ideals in our democracy, our shared duty to uphold truth and trust, and the steps we can take together to reinforce good governance.

 

“After 25 years of uninterrupted democracy, Nigeria has reached a stage where the way we communicate leadership and policy must reflect the maturity of our democratic process. At its core, democracy is not merely the government of the people, by the people, or for the people; democracy, for me, is about government with the people.

 

The Speaker noted that the House has embraced a commitment to active citizen engagement by bringing parliament closer to the people.

 

Speaker Abbas also mentioned the youth town halls, to hold twice a year to give young Nigerians — who make up over 60 per cent of the population — a platform to discuss governance and policy.

 

Speaker Abbas proposed a stronger partnership between the NIPR and the National Assembly, working together to launch public orientation campaigns that explain how policies are created and showcase the important role of parliament, adding that this initiative could significantly enhance public understanding and reduce negative perceptions. By combining our efforts, we can ensure clear, effective, and inclusive communication.

 

The Speaker said targeted training programmes for press officers and parliamentary committees — guided by global best practices — would help translate complex legislative matters into narratives that resonate with all Nigerians.