Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the immediate past Minister of Information and Culture, says his lobbyist firm is willing to offer services of strategic communication on Federal Government's policies and programmes.
The minister said this on Thursday in Abuja when he led a delegation of the firm, Bruit Costaud, affiliate of Ballard Partners USA, to Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy designate.
The News Agency of of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammed, Managing Partner of the firm was in company of former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and former minister of state in the ministry, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar.
Speaking at the event, Mohammed said Bruit Costaud is an affiliate of Ballard Partners, a U.S. firm of lobbyist and public relations.
He said they were willing to offer services of positive amplification of the programmes and policies of government through strategic communication.
“More often than not what we hear about government institutions and establishments is negative publications even when their policies and programmes are for the benefits of the people and the nation.
“Our job is a sustained programme of positive amplification of what is being done by our clients and we do this through strategic communication.
“We have been there before and we know that in governance, perception is very important.
“Unfortunately, this is an area we don’t pay enough attention to in government and we can assist the ministry in rebranding the image,” he said
Mohammed said the firm also offered services of strategic policies advisers and could interact with legislative arm of government on behalf of the ministry.
“Our firm made up of former ministers, diplomats, doyens of the business and private sector,s, we help to navigate the complex landscape of dealing with government and regulatory authorities.
“We know your ministry needs to interact with the legislative arm of government, we can take up this on your behalf ,” he said.
The former minister said the firm was not a substitute for directors of communications and publicity in the ministry, rather to complement their efforts and services and add values to what they do.
“We complement their efforts to ensure proper communication and dissemination of key information of your ministry to prevent and if necessary manage any crisis as a result of those policies
“We are aware that you engage relevant stakeholders before formulating policies.
“Sometimes, out of commission, you may be unable to carry along every stakeholders some of which may stand as an obstacle to such policy even when they are deserving.
“We can act as intermediary. We also conduct opinion polls to test some of the policies and programmes you want to introduce,” he said.
In his response, the minister designate said they would consider the offers by the firm while the meeting went into closed-door.