The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited has ditched the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMOIC) and handed over the contract for communication campaign for the acceptance of fuel subsidy removal to Tinubu Support group, one of the major platform for the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the February 25 Presidential election.
The Tinubu Support Group is expected to now use their campaign network to make the fuel subsidy removal acceptable to Nigerians.
Sources said NNPC Limited opted to patronize the Tinubu Support Group, claiming that “they have been very effective in running and selling the candidacy of President Tinubu to Nigerians, despite the odds. They are much more effective and proactive than the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. They are not buoyed down by bureaucratic bottlenecks.”
NNPC Limited told the Ministry to “look elsewhere if they are seeking funding for the campaign. They should have funds for such as part of their mandate.”
A source noted that “NNPC knows that what it is doing is political patronage and that it has nothing to do with professionalism. It is job for the boys. It is a reward for hard work. This campaign contract is like a spoil of war for them and the NNPC people know this, after all, it wasn’t awarded through competitive bidding. This is going to be the way forward.”
Ordinarily, the Federal Ministry of Information handles campaigns involved in publicising national or Federal Government’s programmes, events or projects.
It also discarded the National Orientation Agency (NOA), a parastatal under the Ministry of Information and Culture that is tasked with communicating government policy, staying abreast of public opinion, and promoting patriotism, national unity, and development of Nigerian society.
The Ministry has a template for campaign communication strategy and plan which involves all organs and agencies under it. It uses multi-media mix communication channels including Traditional/Non-Traditional channels of Audio-Visual, Audio, Posters, Handbills, Stakeholders/Village-square meetings, Door-to-door reach outs/Town, Social Media, Internet/Websites, etc, in carrying out such campaigns.
Using its vast network of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) networks under its control, it involves Mass mobilization, Mass education, Mass participation, Interviews/Talking points, Media/Press briefs, Facts File which are carefully and professional crafted to ensure clarity, currency and cultural sensitivity and biases.
The Federal Ministry of Information also has its network of professional cadre officers posted as Resident Information Officers to all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Federal Government of Nigeria.