How Port Harcourt Mayor Sir Allwell Ihunda Sponsored Intensive 3-Day Media Relations Workshop to Strengthen City’s Image and Modern Governance
The Port Harcourt City Council has concluded a comprehensive three-day strategic communication and media relations workshop designed to enhance professional reporting and sharpen the city’s public image.
The programme held from December 3rd to 5th, 2025, was fully sponsored by the Mayor of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Sir (Hon.) Allwell Ihunda, DSSRS, JP, in partnership with the De Gratia Centre for Media Rights and Education.
The training brought together leading online media practitioners, social media persons, ccommunication officers, and journalists from across Port Harcourt for an intensive engagement on strategic communication planning, crisis communication, perception management, media ethics, and the evolving dynamics of digital governance.
A Signature Investment in Communication Capacity:
Representing the Mayor at the opening session, the Council Secretary, Engr. Dennis Ejekwu, delivered a strong message affirming the administration’s commitment to transparent and people-centered governance. He conveyed Mayor Ihunda’s belief that communication is now a core pillar of modern leadership.
According to the Mayor, government and the media must work as constructive partners to advance development, noting:
“The media is not an adversary, but a critical partner in development.
Effective communication is no longer optional; it is essential for responsible and responsive leadership.”
His sponsorship of the workshop, officials say, is part of a broader strategy to professionalize civic engagement, improve public information flow, and ensure Port Harcourt projects a credible, progressive image locally and internationally.
High-level Knowledge Sessions Across Three Days
The workshop featured some of Nigeria’s most seasoned experts in communication, public relations, and media strategy. The Executive Director of the De Gratia Centre, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, praised Mayor Ihunda’s swift approval and support for the initiative, describing it as “leadership that eliminates bottlenecks and accelerates institutional growth.”
Day One to three included lectures on public relations ethics, communication structures in government, and the role of media in strengthening public trust, delivered by:
Barr. Karibi T. George, FNIPR
Olalekan Ige
Ann Godwin
Dr. Justice Ihunwo.
Day Two specifically expanded into practical sessions on managing misinformation, crafting effective press statements, social media branding for LGAs, and the principles of media intelligence.
Day Three capped the training with sessions on crisis communication, reputation management, and strategic communication planning for local councils.
Throughout the programme, the De Gratia Centre’s training and event managers, Chimene Nsirim, Badubuochi Wonodi, and Charis Media, coordinated logistics, facilitation, and media coverage.
Participants also lauded Mrs. Nsirim for daily meal support throughout the event.
Stakeholder Praise for Mayor Ihunda’s Leadership:
The workshop received significant endorsements from the media community. The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, Comrade Paul Bazia, commended the Mayor for his “uncommon foresight” in investing in media capacity.
He described the training as a model for other local governments across Nigeria, adding that Port Harcourt City is setting the national benchmark for communication-driven governance.
“Mayor Ihunda continues to define what modern local administration should look like, transparent, engaging, and strategically connected to its citizens,” Bazia said.
Strengthening Port Harcourt’s Narrative:
The Mayor’s sponsorship reflects a growing push to reposition Port Harcourt as a city with a coherent narrative, stronger media synergy, and more effective messaging around government programmes, social progress, investment opportunities, and civic pride.
Participants left the workshop with renewed confidence and improved skills for telling Port Harcourt’s story with accuracy, professionalism, and modern finesse.
With initiatives like this, observers note that Port Harcourt is emerging as a national model for communication-driven governance, citizen engagement, and collaborative leadership between government and the media.
5/12/2025.
