The government is strengthening coordination, funding and public engagement under the new National Government Communication Policy, Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Stephen Isaboke has said.
Speaking during a television interview on Tuesday, Isaboke said the policy will make communication an integral part of government programmes by requiring projects to include communication plans and resources from the outset.
“We acknowledge that communication is the lifeline of any government; therefore, communication has to be embedded from the beginning,” he said.
He said communication will also form part of performance management, with ministries required to demonstrate how they have communicated their projects and programmes to the public.
“It is not just: Have we delivered the project? It is also: Have we adequately communicated about it?” he said.
The policy seeks to harmonise government communication, establish a common source of information and clarify the roles of officials and communication structures.
Isaboke noted that government communication has previously not kept pace with the scale of development programmes, with some projects receiving inadequate communication support.
“We did so much in terms of brick-and-mortar development… but in fact, the communication element was actually lacking or a bit underfunded,” he said.
He explained that the new framework will coordinate communication across the Presidency, Deputy President, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, the Government Spokesperson, ministry communication officers and National Government Administration officers.
The Government Spokesperson will amplify official government positions, while Cabinet Secretaries will communicate policy within their ministries and Principal Secretaries will oversee policy implementation.
The PS said the planned National Communication Centre will support coordination by providing real-time factual information and receiving feedback from the public.
The policy also places greater emphasis on two-way communication, with citizens expected to receive information, ask questions and provide feedback through public participation forums, digital platforms and grassroots administration structures.
“Communication is not talking at them, talking to them,” he said.
Isaboke noted that the growth of social media has increased the speed at which information, including misinformation and unverified claims, spreads, making timely and credible government communication necessary.
He cited communication during the El Niño weather phenomenon as an example, where technical agencies provide scientific information while communicators translate it into accessible language.
The PS said effective government communication will require continuous engagement with citizens, including responding to criticism and providing clear information on public programmes.
“We need to over-communicate,” Isaboke said.
