Government communicators urged to be “more flexible” – AIM

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Government communicators urged to be “more flexible” – AIM

9:26 CAT | 01 Jun 2018

Notícias

Today’s strong presence of social media on the Mozambican information scene makes it imperative that the government’s own communicators, such as Ministry press officers, should be more flexible in making information available, declared Emilia Moiane, head of the government’s press office (GABINFO), on Wednesday.

Speaking at the opening session of a training forum with government communicators in the tourist resort of Bilene, in the southern province of Gaza, Moiane warned that, when government institutions delay to giving official information others will fill the gap, often with data that is inaccurate, and sometimes for malicious purposes.

“We have to get this right”, she said. “We have to provide timely information, both in the traditional media, and in the social media. To achieve this, we must guarantee that the government’s communicators are prepared to hand out information in good time”.

“We know that governing is a matter of perception, and the people need to understand what the government is doing”, she said. “This understanding is achieved through communication. The better we communicate, the better will be the understanding people have of what the government is doing”.

The question raised, she continued, was whether the work of the government is being communicated properly and in good time. “We need to improve”, said Moiane. “We need to keep ahead of events”.

The Bilene meeting brings together press and public relations officers and advisers, officials from the Communication and Image Offices of various government bodies, and provincial delegates of the state-owned Mass Communications Institute (ICS), which runs a network of community radio stations. The purpose of the meeting, according to GABINFO, is to harmonise the activity of these communicators.

Those attending the four day forum said it will help improve the day-to-day work of the communicators.

Adilson Virgílio, press officer of the governor of Inhambane province, said communication requires the use of various techniques and tools that can help efficiently channel information to the target public. To this end, the capacity of communication staff needed to be permanently upgraded so that they can adapt to frequent changes in socio-cultural dynamics.

“Let’s leave here armed with tools that allow us to interact with the media, but also with leaders, with our own colleagues and with the public at large”, he declared.

For Carmona Luis, press officer of the Cabo Delgado provincial governor, “these training sessions help us instil a new dynamic into our activities, although we face a shortage of material resources which hampers our operations”.

The training is being given by Brazilian academic Dr. Juarez de Maia, who was one of the founders of the ICS.

“As communicators, we must ensure that information circulates in a better way to improve the functioning of the institution”, he said, warning that it is not enough simply to collect information, since it must also be processed and publicised.

Source: AIM