The environment ministry’s public relations officer Romeo Muyunda scooped the overall best PRO gong in the inaugural Government Communications Officers’
Awards in Windhoek on Thursday.
The event was conceived and hosted by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology. Muyunda also took first place in the category for Offices, Agencies and Ministries (O/A/Ms).
In total, he won N$25 000, with N$15 000 being the prize for the top award, plus two trophies and certificates for each award.
Noteworthy other winners included Lydia Amutenya of the City of Windhoek (CoW) securing first place in the Local Authority category, with Jackson Muma of the Ongwediva Town Council taking second place. Amutenya won N$10 000, and Muma got N$5 000.
In the Regional Council (RC) category, Cornelia Shilongo of the Otjozondjupa RC claimed the top spot, with Panduleni Nepembe of Ohangwena ending second.
In the O/A/Ms category, Jona Musheko of the agriculture ministry ended second in terms of PROs, while the agriculture ministry also won the best O/A/M award.
The CoW was announced as the top local authority, with the Erongo region declared the top regional council.
Asked how she feels about the award, Amutenya said she was grateful for the recognition, and attributed the success to her team, supervisor and employer for fostering a supportive environment.
“I believe we were recognised for our overall communication efforts in our operations. I cannot pinpoint a single campaign as we run so many, such as water savings, electricity safety, and infrastructure development. However, no specific project was singled out,” she noted. Amutenya added that balancing transparency with sensitivity involves careful consideration of shared information, aligning with the City’s values, addressing concerns empathetically, and following relevant policies and procedures.
She said staying updated involves continuous learning through industry trends and active participation in professional networks, especially with the evolving landscape of social media.
Amutenya thus encouraged communication officers to cultivate strong communication skills, staying adaptable and building relationships based on trust and integrity.
Furthermore, she advised proactiveness with news and information distribution, and continuously engaging colleagues to understand the organisational operations and impact on the public. On his part, Musheko said public relations is a very pragmatic and evolving field.
“What is important is to keep exploring different ways how to reach diverse audiences; the type of content you communicate to them; the platforms, and time you communicate to them. This award is for my public relations’ team at the ministry. It is motivating that our creativity and hard work have been recognised.
“It is a good feeling, but it commands continued, harnessed relationships with all our stakeholders (farmers, media and the public at large),” he beamed.
Musheko added that their public relations’ success is rooted in good “customised” relationships with the management, staff members and agencies. “Lastly, the most important stakeholder which many public relations’ practitioners do not value is the media. Over the years, I learned how to serve each and every media house; be it radio, television or print. It is best to know what each of these media houses’ interests are, or else you risk not serving them efficiently,” he continued.
Minister of Information and Communication Technology Peya Mushelenga stated that being a public relations officer is not an easy task due to the multitude of commanders.
“Public relations officers go through a lot. When they write something, the director often changes everything, causing frustration for the public relations officer,” he said.
The importance of the awards lies in recognising and honouring the best performers, serving as motivation for them to continue excelling, said Mushelenga.
- priscillamukokobi@gmail.com