The Federal Government has announced a new approach to public communication, shifting from reliance on periodic press briefings to direct, structured engagement with service-delivery ministries to ensure Nigerians clearly understand ongoing reforms and their benefits.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Wednesday during a strategic visit to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, as part of efforts to deepen the delivery of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Idris explained that the new strategy is designed to bridge the gap between government actions and public perception by ensuring that policies, programmes and achievements are communicated clearly, consistently and accurately. According to him, governance is incomplete without effective communication, stressing that “what is not communicated is often assumed not to have happened.”
He noted that his Ministry is deliberately engaging key service-delivery ministries to better understand reforms at their core and amplify them through government communication platforms. He commended the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for prioritising disease prevention, revitalisation of primary healthcare, medical industrialisation, expansion of cancer care services and reduction of medical tourism, describing these reforms as having direct and lasting impact on the lives and productivity of Nigerians.
The Minister assured that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation would deploy its agencies and platforms to promote preventive health awareness, support accurate dissemination of information and ensure Nigerians are well informed about investments and progress in the health sector.
Welcoming the delegation, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S., mni, described the visit as timely and strategic. She said effective communication is central to the success of reforms in the health sector, noting that while the Ministry has recorded notable progress over the past two years, these achievements must be clearly communicated to Nigerians to enhance trust, utilisation and public confidence.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said President Tinubu placed health at the centre of the Renewed Hope Agenda because a healthy population is fundamental to national development and economic growth. He explained that the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative is focused on strengthening governance, expanding quality healthcare services, boosting local pharmaceutical manufacturing, improving health security and ensuring equitable access to care.
Professor Pate highlighted progress in primary healthcare revitalisation, immunisation coverage, disease outbreak prevention, expansion of cancer treatment services and increased health insurance enrolment. He noted that many successes in the health sector are measured by crises prevented rather than emergencies managed, stressing that effective communication is critical in helping citizens understand preventive healthcare and government investments.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the alignment between the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Health Sector Renewal Blueprint has provided clarity and direction for reforms. He outlined improvements in digital health deployment, enhanced power supply to health facilities, better workforce management and reduction of industrial disputes through constructive engagement.
Dr Salako noted that Nigeria now has the capacity to manage many medical conditions locally, particularly in cancer care, thereby reducing the need for medical tourism while also attracting patients from neighbouring countries. He emphasised the importance of sustained media engagement in building public trust and supporting national development.
The visit concluded with a shared commitment by both ministries to institutionalise collaboration, strengthen public awareness and ensure Nigerians fully understand, access and benefit from ongoing health sector reforms in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
— Rabiu Ibrahim
Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation
