The Nigeria’s Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) has won the Golden World Award (GWA) instituted by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) for an outstanding campaign by Non-Governmental Organisation, at a ceremony in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The media campaign of CCC which was promoted by Image Merchants Promotions Limited, publishers of PRNigeria was among the three awards won by African organisations from about 30 countries in 60 categories.

The Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) which was established in June 2015 as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) provides capacity building assistance in information and media management to military, intelligence, security and response agencies in Nigeria. It engages in crisis communication management and has trained over 500 Officers within two years.

Other winners from Africa include Corporate Communication Award on Vodafone by Global Media Alliance, Ghana and Business-to-Business Award on Santam by Atmosphere Communication, South Africa.

Speaking on the award, the Executive Secretary of CCC, Air Commodore, Anas Yusuf (Rtd) commended the organiser for the award which he said would motivate his organisation to improve its services to the stakeholders.

Yusuf urged public and private institutions to be proactive in their strategic communication in tackling conflicts and crises before they arise.

The President of African Public Relations Association (APRA) Yomi Badejo-Okunsaya commended African award winners. He said: “Africa has again shown that it is no pushover in global public relations by picking up a number of awards at the 2017 GWA.

“APRA congratulates all the winners for the impressive outing but reaffirms that there is a lot more work to be done if we intend to command the respect of our peers across the world. PR practitioners in Africa must engage more creativity, innovation and dynamism to effectively announce our arrival on the global stage. Finally, I urge more Africans to enter more entries because judging from the winning works, we stand a good chance of recording even more wins.”

The event witnessed winners across the globe from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Middle-East and Pacific. Global PR agencies including Weber Shandwick, Fleishman-Hillard, Dentsu, Hill-Knowlton, Edelman and Burson-Marsteller carted away more trophies on behalf of their clientele in several countries.

The Golden World Awards (GWAs), often dubbed the ‘Oscars of PR’, are the world’s most prestigious PR awards in various categories. IPRA is the leading global network for public relations professionals. It aims to further the development of open communication and the ethical practice of public relations. It fulfils this aim through networking opportunities, its code of conduct and intellectual leadership of the profession. With over years of experience, IPRA, recognised by the United Nations, is now present throughout the world wherever public relations are practised. (PRNigeria)

•Photo shows, L-R; Yushau Shuaib of PRNigeria; Max Behar, President ICCO; Yomi Badejo-Okunsaya, President APRA; and Air Comdr Yusuf Anas ES of CCC Nigeria, at IPRA GWA in Sofia, Bulgaria.

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