PRCAN Carpets Finance Minister over Foreign PR Firm

Following media reports on the alleged hiring of a United Kingdom-based public relations firm by the federal government to manage the campaign of Nigeria’s participation at the just concluded World Bank Spring Meeting in Washington DC, United States, the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) has cautioned the government to respect its own ‘Buy Nigeria, Save the Naira’ campaign.

According to a statement by PRCAN President, John Ehiguese, President Muhammadu Buhari should make his Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who led the Nigerian delegation to the Washington DC meeting to explain whether the process of choosing the UK firm complied with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, regarding competitive bid from other equally qualified Public Relations Consulting firms.

“It will also be of interest to the Nigerian people to know if the Efficiency Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance signed off on the payment of the retainer fee allegedly paid to the PR firm in question,” Ehiguese further said.

The PRCAN president expressed concern that the minister’s action buttressed the insatiable appetite and penchant of Nigerian political office holders for “foreign is better,” and might indeed have confirmed the feeling held in professional circles that Nigerian leaders have no regard for indigenous professionals.