Experts have attributed the resistance usually put up by communities during Public Private Partnership projects in the country to the perception citizens have of the government — with a trust deficit and lack of integrity resulting from inadequate stakeholder engagement before the commencement of the projects.
Integrated Marketing Communications experts made this known during the 11th edition of the Brands and Marketing Conference 2023 hosted by the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN), on Friday, December 15, 2023, at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Featured as members of the discussion panel were Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Manager, Nestlé Nigeria; Godfrey Adejumoh, Head, Corporate Communications & Sustainable Business, Unilever Nigeria and Adeola Kayode, Head of Brands & Creative Services, 9Mobile while the session was moderated by Sola Salako-Ajulo, Hon. Member (South-West) Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Private Public Partnership: Infrastructural Development Strategy for Government, Communities & Brands,’ the speakers posit that there is a win-win in every PPP project for the government, the investing organisation and the community.
According to Adejumoh, the government is doing a lot and engaging in various good projects. However, if people in the various communities don’t get involved, they may not understand it, he added.
To appreciate it, Adejumoh called on citizens in every community to be involved in every CDA activity, so they can be aware of some programs of the government and to be able to get answers when the need arises.
Speaking, Uwadoka revealed that working with the government, “we understand that there are the advantages and occasionally the disadvantages because of the trust issue.
“When we approach any community for our development programme, they usually don’t open up initially because of the trust issue.
“However, as brands, again we must realise that it takes time and cannot happen in two days. There must be consistency for the people to take you seriously and once they trust you, then you can bring the government in.
“With this, we can build trust with the community, the youth, and the women in the plan, on what we are doing.”
Speaking earlier in her keynote address, Dr Akiode, the Convener of Women in Infrastructure Community Africa (WICA), noted that PPPs can be a powerful mechanism for driving development when executed effectively.
She, however, pointed out that a lack of effective communication among other factors has been contributing factors leading communities to resist some government initiatives.
According to her, a PPP is a collaboration between the public and private sectors aimed at delivering a project or service traditionally provided by the public sector.
Dr Akiode stressed the need to actively involve communities in PPP projects to instil a sense of ownership.
“Yes, there are opportunities for PPP, they are beneficial, and there are challenges, but we must start with a strategy that helps to build trust and then bring in the government because if you try to do it the other way, one then may run into challenges.
“When a community is engaged in a project, they own the project and protect it. They adopt the ‘it's our project’ strategy,” she said.
Organised annually by journalists covering the Integrated Marketing Communications industry, the conference is a flagship event that brings experts in the IMC and allied industry together to discuss issues that affect the economy and tend to proffer solutions to some of them.
In her opening speech, the Chairman, Brands Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN), Clara Okoro, said, “As we explore this theme, guided by the overarching belief that collaboration is the catalyst for transformation, we aim to foster discussions that transcend rhetoric and lead us to actionable insights.
“Our goal is to provide clarity, especially for the new governments at various levels across Nigeria and the brands that operate within our borders.
“We recognise the enormous infrastructure deficit that challenges our nation's development and economic growth.”
Some outstanding individuals and corporate organisations that have impacted the industry in 2023 were rewarded for their efforts.
Among them was Steve Babaeko who bagged the Practitioner of the Year Award, TeksightEdge won the PR Agency of the Year Award and Trophy bagged the Alcoholic Beverage of the Year award.
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