NCC receives IPRA award, wins SEMA 2020

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has received an International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Award and also won the Security Emergency and Management Award (SEMA).

The awards were in recognition of its contributions to the fight against insecurity in the country .

NCC Director of Public Affairs Ikechukwu Adinde, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Adinde said the IPRA award won by the commission was for its harmonised emergency number, 112 and the construction of Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) in 36 states of the Federation including the FCT.

He said that 19 states were already operational, while additional five were ready for activation.

“The ECCs were activated as a one-stop shop for receiving distress calls from the public and dispatching same to appropriate Emergency Response Agencies (ERAs) for timely response and resolution of the distress.

“The ECC project has been in limbo until a new management under the leadership of Prof. Umar Danbatta, embarked on its construction and operationalization across Nigeria till date,” he explained.

Adinde said the presentation of the IPRA awards 2020 to the commission was scheduled to hold earlier in 2020 in Germany but was shifted due to COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, NCC also received the African Public Relations Association’s (APRA) Certificate of Excellence for its efforts in leveraging the emergency communication centres for national security.

Adinde, however, said the award was handed over to him for NCC, by Mr Mukhtar Sirajo, president of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

He said that the NCC was also presented with a Certificate of Excellence for ‘Outstanding Accomplishments in Category of Emergency Management’ at the award ceremony.

“The NIPR president commended the NCC for a culture of professionalism in the management of its corporate communications and public relations.

“He also said that the gesture was largely responsible for its enviable corporate image and the many awards it had attracted over the years,” he said.

Speaking at the event, Mr Yusheu Shuaibu of Image Merchants Promotion Limited, lauded the NCC for launching an impressive campaign on its emergency communications project.