USAID, A’Ibom Govt  Partner for Increased Productivity of Information Officers

*US deploys educational, cultural exchanges to drive inclusive economic growth

Okon Bassey in Uyo

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Akwa Ibom state government have expressed commitment to enhancing the roles and productivity of information officers in the management of information for the state government.

They made the commitment at a three-day workshop for development of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) organised by USAID under its State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness (State2State) activities.

The session was held  for some information officers drawn  from the state information ministry and parastatals and practicing journalists in Uyo at the weekend.

Speaking at the occasion, the State Commissioner for  Information, Ini Ememobong expressed the commitment of the state government to enhance the productivity of workers in the state.

He noted that earlier trainings of the information officers by USAID had brought a noticeable and remarkable improvement in the productivity of the workers.

Ememobong  represented by his Permanent Secretary,  James Edet, pledged to increase the number of participants and support given to the trainings.
The commissioner lauded USAID for its interest in the state and promised to enhance and broaden areas of cooperation between the agency and the state government.

The State Team Lead, Mr Borve Paago-Imabel lauded USAID for its interest in developing and enhancing the civil service in Akwa Ibom, adding that the training programme was a build-up to earlier interventions.

Paago-Imabel said the citizens were looking up to the beneficiaries for credible information on activities and policies of the state government, stressing that the nomination of participants for the programme was based on their capabilities.

Earlier in a remark, USAID Communications Specialist, Nkechi Egbuna, said the training was also going on in five other states of the country is meant to improve the efficiency and confidence of the participants which would in turn increase productivity in the performance of their duties.

Egbuna who expressed sadness over the usurping of roles of information officers by non-professionals in some states called for seriousness from the participants in order to create a sustainable SOP for the state.

Meanwhile, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Lee Satterfield, has visited Lagos and Abuja, where she highlighted a broad range of public diplomacy programmes that help to expand access to education and economic opportunities in the creative industries.

Satterfield’s trip comes on the heels of the recent visit to Nigeria by Secretary of State, Antony Blinken and underscores the country’s strong commitment to strengthening people-to-people connections with Nigeria that drive innovation, foster knowledge exchange, and unlock opportunities for shared economic prosperity, the country’s embassy in Nigeria said.

In Lagos, Assistant Secretary Satterfield delivered remarks at the University of Lagos on the importance of cultural diplomacy in Africa and announced three new exchange programmes for the creative industries.

“These new initiatives include: the Africa Creative TV initiative for writers and producers in the film and TV industries; the American Music Mentorship Programme, which is in partnership with the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs; and the film-focused, one-year Community College Initiative, which will take participants through the script to the screen process.

“She also witnessed the MoU signing ceremony for the establishment of a Window on America at the University of Lagos –– the 26th American Space in Nigeria –– which will serve as a gateway to a wealth of resources; information about US government sponsored exchange opportunities; guidance on how to study in the United States; access to e-LibraryUSA, a platform for academic research; career mentorship; and professional development workshops.

“In addition to visiting the American Corner Lekki, Assistant Secretary Satterfield participated in a tech and innovation showcase featuring six innovative solutions developed by alumni of US government exchange programmes.

“She also met with leading figures in Nigeria’s film and music industries and discussed harnessing the potential of these industries to drive economic growth, job creation, youth opportunities, and cultural exchange while strengthening bilateral ties between the US and Nigeria,” the statement added.

At the National Museum in Lagos, it said that Satterfield launched Nigeria’s first Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant, which demonstrates the US government’s commitment to working with Nigeria to protect, honour, and preserve its cultural heritage.

It stated that through this grant, museum professionals from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will work with their counterparts at the National Museum Lagos to digitise and improve access to Nigeria’s cultural heritage and raise awareness about the importance of cultural preservation.

In Abuja, Satterfield, it said, met with Minister of Education Prof. Tahir Mamman and the Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa and discussed a variety of issues ranging from the US-Nigeria partnership on cultural diplomacy, including in film, to expanding access to educational and professional opportunities for women and girls in science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM).

The assistant secretary also engaged with beneficiaries of the US Embassy Abuja Opportunity Funds Programme, which helps high achieving but economically disadvantaged students secure admission and scholarships to American colleges and universities.
She urged the students to make the most of their opportunity to get a top-notch education in the United States while gaining first-hand experience of American life and culture.

While in Abuja, Satterfield delivered keynote remarks at the Women’s International Film Festival Nigeria and participated in a moderated panel discussion where she highlighted the important role of an inclusive and sustainable creative ecosystem in advancing economic growth and strengthening bilateral people-to-people ties.