“Accurate Public Information and regular contacts with your people is the way forward”
“What people hear directly from their President represents the main and the most credible source of information and has the highest news value.”
By: |Eng. Hussein Adan Igeh| (Hussein Deyr)
Somalilandsun – You’re Excellency Mr. President, Communicating with your citizens, clearly and regularly, is the best way to build up and maintain a warm and healthy relationship with the people of this country. You can get the public easily on your side by keeping them informed and engaged with all the important developments, what’s going on in the country, state of affairs of the government, ups and downs and in which direction our country is going to. What the people hear directly from their President is what counts the most; it is the main and the most credible source of information. From the moment the President makes his speech and addresses the nation, practically all other information sources have little news value and everything they tell you afterwards is no longer interesting. Because the President has spoken to his people!!
However, when the government omits to inform, update and engage its citizens (with a well measured information sources); the untruths, provocative and propaganda reporting take their place. In that case, we will have to do with such unrealistic situation where the real information and facts on the ground will be overpowered by lies, untruths and unfounded story telling. The consequences thereof are enormous: the government’s economic and social advancement objectives will be held hostage and overshadowed by mendacious media; the government’s efforts to improve living conditions of its citizens will be less appreciated and will have the opposite effect of the one intended; Somaliland citizens will be increasingly sceptical towards their government with all unpleasant consequences afterwards!
Pessimistic Media Reporting and their intent:
Mr. President, as you may aware, some Somaliland’s indigenous media groups (at home and abroad) have always a tendency to spread tittle-tattle stories, rumours and an unfounded news-items with only one goal in mind: to sell more copies or to attract more audience. They leave no stone unturned to destabilize our country; they are knowingly and willingly creating a climate of collective confusion among the brotherly people of the Republic of Somaliland. They create mistrust and unsubstantiated stories that consumes much of life and energy of Somalilanders.
The scope and effect of such negative media reporting is to mislead the public, to influence and reinforce a negative public perception towards the current government, portraying your government as ineffective, a government that cannot fulfil its promises and therefore not suitable to run the country. If a proper counter-measurement action from the government fails to happen, then Somaliland citizens will be more receptive to believe in such downbeat media coverage.
Good Information & Public Awareness Building:
It is particularly crucial that your government combat and challenge the emerging media influence on the ordinary Somaliland citizen. Good information, public awareness building and an active involvement of country’s citizens is the best way in which can be dealt with the negative impact of some biased-media outlets. I believe it is the duty of the government to provide its citizen an accurate and reliable information sources. In that case you are one step further than all misinformation or propaganda coverage and you let them all to remain silent.
In order to trim down media influence on your governments social, economic, security relevant issues as well as foreign affairs policies; with a sincere and unequivocal intention I would like to extend the following minor advises:
1. The less the President speaks to the people, the more there will be questionable and unsubstantiated hearsay stories, whereby people will have a tendency to believe in such distorted information. A regular (monthly) TV/ Radio Nationwide Speech in which you address the nation and explain them your government policies and actions would be very desirable. Your speech represents the highest news value and will be regarded as the major news and information sources. This approach will not only restore your contact and relations with your citizens, but it will also enhance people’s confidence in your government. Therefore, a Regular Presidential Speech to the nation would be the best remedy against the unprofessional and paparazzi media greed.
2. Embark sometimes “a listening tour” across the country to explore and see through your own eyes how the daily lives of your citizen’s looks like and what is happening among your people on street level. Standing close to the ordinary people and hearing their voices will definitely boost the public morale. This approach will also reduce the negative media influence on the public attitude towards your government.
3. I believe it might be more prudent if your government could reduce the unnecessary Media-Interaction by some high rank government officials, which sometimes leads to a preventable confusion among the public! The ministers and other officials in every department should have to engage with the relevant matters of their ministry and should avoid inter-acting with the media unnecessarily.
4. I would strongly recommend appointing a Professional Spokesperson or (Public Information Associate/ Officer) for each major government department. This person will be fully engaged in the media matters and/or interference so as to reduce their influence.
Finally, Mr. President May I have the honour to congratulate you and your government members for the incredible achievements as well as the commendable and well balanced decisions during your short government period! There is no doubt about that you have dedicated your life to the work of building hope and opportunity for Somaliland people where- before you came to power- too little of either existed.
God Bless the Somaliland Republic and its Noble people
By: |Architectural-Eng. Hussein Adan Igeh |Hussein Deyr |UK|
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End of three-part article addressing to our President, His Excellency Mr. Ahmed M.M. Silaanyo.
3. Mr. President: Accurate public information and regular contacts with your people is the way forward.
2. Mr. President: Your Government’s Achievements also belong to Somaliland people; they must therefore be defended publicly!
1 Mr. President: Nothing is wrong with defending your Government’s Achievements in Public!