Public relations bodies at federal institutions were urged to carryout activities focused on building the good images of the country.

Speaking at an awareness raising forum held on Wednesday at the Ethiopian Television studio on the study conducted on the Business Process Reengineering (BPR), Minister of Information, Berhan Hailu said the public relations activities being held at government institutions lack consistency and were not conducted in a way that the country desires.

Organization of public relation offices at governmental institutions was not well integrated, while the working system was inefficient, he added.

Communication works carried out at national level were not harmonized, he said.

Berhane said the new public relations BPR study is believed to enable information obtained from various institutions utilized for the same purpose through narrowing loop holes witnessed on the existing public relation activities.

The study includes activities needed to be carried out towards bringing about national consensus and build the good images of the country.

Experiences of countries undertaking exemplary public relations works were included in the study, the minister said.

Government information and media relations owner with the ministry, Zemedkun Tekle also said the newly conducted public relations study would be implemented as a national policy by incorporating comments of public relations professionals at various governmental institutions.

The institutions would implement the policy in accordance with their respective nature and goals.

Studies indicate that about 80 percent of the public is forwarding complaints due to information limitation at governmental institutions, Zemedkun said, and added that plans have been mapped out to minimize the degree of complaints to 20 percent over the next four years.

More than 70 public relations experts drawn from various governmental offices and development enterprises are n attendance at the two day forum.

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