Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has called on the Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications Industry to sensitise Nigerians to the various economic opportunities emerging around them.
Idris, who stated this at the National Advertising Conference (ARCON), yesterday in Abuja, said the people also need to be aware of the Governments efforts to improve their lives.
The minister, while highlighting Government efforts and reforms geared towards bettering the lives of citizens, said if the people are not aware, they could not benefit from the programmes.
He said among such programmes are the recent Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme and Palliative Programmes, aimed at traders, artisans, transporters, vendors, and creatives with grants and low-cost loans.
Now, we need you to bring that influence to bear on helping to sensitise Nigerians to the activities the federal and State governments are executing to make life better for Nigerians.
We need your creative solutions and approaches, and we need your unparalleled network; we need your platforms. This is not about propaganda or noise-making. If the people and businesses meant to benefit from the loans, grants, and cash transfers are unaware, how will they benefit? stated the minister.
According to Idris, marketing communication professionals have a role to play and are well-positioned to serve as catalysts for Nigerias social and economic transformation.
While welcoming participants at the conference, the ARCON director-general, Olalekan Fadolapo, said marketing communications were strategic to the growth and development of the nations economy.
Scaling-up the advertising regulatory framework to stimulate economic development, inclusive growth, wealth creation, and the development of local talents has been a significant priority of ARCON”, the minister emphasised .
