Tuesday Sept 4, 2007
On the initiation of the Nigerian presidency, the US government is collaborating with the Nigerian government to help the presidency build capacity for its press and communication office.
Specifically the Nigerian government has sent its presidential spokesman, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi on a short trip to Washington, DC to understudy the management of public and press relations and other dynamics of running a federal system. Adeniyi arrived Washington DC on Monday evening.
Later in the month, Adeniyi would also be embarking on a similar trip to the United Kingdom where he would also be a guest of the UK government to understudy the British government's public affairs rudiments and gain insights for his own responsibilities.
According to a statement released in the US capital yesterday, Adeniyi is the guest of the US State Department between September 3 and 12 during which he will undergo a programme aimed at helping him build capacity for his office and by extension official press relations matters for those in government.
Adeniyi, a professional reporter before his appointment, said the trip would be helpful in his task as Special Adviser on Press and Communication to President Umaru Yar'adua.
According to him, "I am here basically because I know I have a lot to learn to build capacity for my job as Presidential Spokesman and United States offers a good ground for such experience. I am of the strong conviction that President Yar'adua will succeed in laying a solid foundation for the economic and social transformation of Nigeria. I can see clearly where he is going and I want to help him by communicating his ideals to Nigeria."
His itinerary shows that he would be meeting various US government officials, observing the working of the US government in the area of communication both at the State Department and at the White House. Adeniyi would also be receiving a briefing from a US scholar from the American University on federalism. That briefing will provide "a basic understanding of the US system of government, its decentralized nature, and the decision-making process that flows from the system," according to the release from the US government.
Besides, the Special Adviser would also meet State department officials including those who have responsibilities for the US Foreign press center, who will give him an overview of the purpose and function of the Press Center and also an overview of the US Public Affairs Office
Adeniyi would also be briefed on the role of the US Government Accountability Office, usually referred to as the GAO. The GAO, which is nonpartisan holds the US Government oversight roles for all arms of government. It is an agency that works for Congress and the American people especially by studying the programs and expenditures of the US federal government.
The US Office of International Visitors, which manages and funds the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the US government office directly coordinating Adeniyi's trip.
The office seeks to build mutual understanding between the United States and other nations through carefully designed professional visits to the US for current and emerging foreign leaders. These visits reflect the visitors’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the US government. Each year over 4,500 IVLP participants from all over the world are selected by US embassies to travel to the US to meet and confer with their professional counterparts.
The Special Adviser said in order to help communicate Yar'adua's message to Nigeria he recognises that he would benefit from an "adequate preparation since I have never been in the public arena before and I take my responsibility very seriously." He disclosed that he initiated the visit by contacting the US embassy officials in Nigeria, officials who according to him "have always been very supportive of my career right from my days in journalism."
He added that after the US trip, he would also proceed on a similar tour of the UK. Said he "two days after I arrive in Nigeria next week, I will be off to United Kingdom for a similar programme at the instance of the British government through the High Commissioner, Sir Richard Grozney."
The Special adviser would also visit the US Capitol, location of the US Congress and the also attend a session at the t
he Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a public policy agency that " seeks to advance global security and prosperity in an era of economic and political transformation by providing strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision makers."
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Posted by Robot| 05.09.2007 00:34