In Nigeria, where societal mistrust, contempt, and indifference toward government are common, the job of the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, comes with a lot of expectations.
Development Diaries reports that Idris was among the 45 ministers assigned portfolios by President Bola Tinubu in August 2023.
The ministry has a duty to provide citizens with credible and timely information on government activities, programmes and initiatives.
Its duties also include creating the technological environment for Nigeria’s socio-economic development, as well as building the trust of Nigerians in government policies.
However, the level of mistrust in the Nigerian government worsened under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
A 2021 study of social issues with trust by the Edelman Trust Barometer placed the trust level in Nigeria overall as low as 49 percent, while the government scored only 24 percent trust with Nigerians.
The ‘japa’ syndrome is on the rise because citizens are gradually abandoning their sense of patriotism and optimism for a better future.
The new administration’s only choice is to make amends and build its communication strategy on one of the fundamental tenets of public relations: ‘Truth well told’.
Reacting to his appointment, Idris promised Nigerians that there would be no room for lies and misinformation as directed by the president.
Hear him, ‘For me, I am actually a reporter reporting for duty and I meant it with every sense of the word. The president has asked me to come and tell you that this is a brand new Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
‘This is a ministry that is set to be repositioned like never before. I have been in the industry for nearly three decades and I should know where the shoe pinches’.
The new minister appears to acknowledge that some of his predecessors performed poorly in information management as he noted that President Tinubu did not send him to ‘come and lie’.
It is important to admit that citizens still have a negative view of the government and its programmes due to years of mistrust. Restoring this trust is the most critical task at hand.
It will take dedication to openness and transparency to do this. Additionally, constant interaction with the populace is necessary to give them a sense of ownership over government actions, especially when such policies have a big impact on their lives, such as the recent subsidy removal.
Development Diaries calls on the new minister to develop a citizens-engagement policy that genuinely promotes interaction between the government and Nigerians to restore public trust and foster the country’s unity.
Working closely with relevant civil society organisations (CSOs), the ministry under Idris must also develop a plan to factually respond to citizen reactions to government policies on social media. This must be done in a timely manner to prevent the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
One of the ways the ministry could effectively engage with citizens is through constant conversations on X Spaces (formerly Twitter Spaces), as this live audio platform allows anyone to join, listen, and speak on topical issues.
Photo source: Ministry of Information
