Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), the body charged with the responsibility of regulating public relations consulting business in Nigeria has affirmed its readiness to work with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations,NIPR, to enforce the law regulating PR consulting business in Nigeria. The association rose from its extraordinary general meeting held recently with a clear mandate given to its executive committee to work with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR and relevant security agencies to take all legal means necessary to enforce the provisions of the Bye Law No. 3 of 1993 which empowers PRCAN to regulate PR consulting business in Nigeria.
Ehiguese
While presenting his presidential roadmap for PRCAN in 2015 during the first quarter extraordinary general meeting, President, Mr. John Ehiguese bemoaned the manner in which foreign PR agencies come into the country to set up their agencies without due regard for regulatory bodies and guidelines in the industry. “The public relations consulting business is one that is regulated by law. Before any foreign agency can set up in Nigeria there are conditions to be met as in other jurisdictions too. You cannot just go into South Africa and set up an agency. You will not be allowed, because the laws are there. Nigeria cannot be a country of anything goes.”
He added, “Public Relations consultants in Nigeria can compete favourably with their counterparts in other African climes like South Africa and other countries with highly developed Public Relations industry but one thing we need to work on is the coordination of the industry in terms of reforms.
“Before a foreign PR agency can set up in Nigeria, there are conditions to be met; 75% of the company shares must be owned by Nigerians, the company must be a financial member of PRCAN, senior executives of the of the company must be members of NIPR and certified to practice PR” he added.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Vice President, PRCAN, Mr. Muyiwa Akintunde said: “membership of PRCAN is a legal requirement for firms wishing to offer public relations consultancy services in Nigeria. It is illegal for any PR agency foreign or local not registered with PRCAN to offer public relations consultancy services in Nigeria. Public and private sector clients who offer consultancy businesses to such agencies are also accessories to the crime.”
He added that apart from the responsibility of promoting the practice of professional public relations consultancy in Nigeria, PRCAN also has the mandate to provide institutional, intellectual and other productive support to professional public relations consultants within Nigeria and to help establish a pool of material resources to enhance their capacities.
Ehiguese added that PRCAN is ready to sanitise the industry by ensuring that both foreign and local players follow due process and this will be done in partnership with NIPR and the relevant security agencies to bring the full weight of the law on erring agencies.
Source:dailyindependentnig
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