Function: To promote relations between and amongst the Ministry of Labour, Employers, Employees and the general public as it relates to Labour matters. Engage the public on activities of the Ministry and seek to provide clarity on issues of concerned and interest to the public.

KEY PRIORITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Promote and coordinate all media relations within the Ministry as well as response to media inquiries where necessary;
• Create awareness on major programs and activities through the utilization of print and Electronic Media;
• Review and analyze the daily newspapers, as well as monitored radio and television news and programs to identify stories relating to the Ministry of Labor and its partner;
• Develop a Communication Strategy to promote programs of the Ministry in order to influence the behavior of audience/general public.
• Ensure that the Ministry of Labour “Facebook page” remains functional and regularly updated current with events. Currently, the page has over six thousand viewers and receives many comments daily.

Activities:

During the reporting period, the Division of Communications and Public Affairs undertook the following activities:

• Arranged and coordinated seven (7) press conferences, most were held directly by the Minister and some by other senior staff;
• Issued fourteen (14) press releases on various developments and happenings in the Labour sector of the country;
• Seconded staff of the Division to accompany the Minister and teams from the Division of Alien Registration and Inspectorate to tour various concession companies operating across the country;
• Ran several radio jingles and established an “open air theatre” on the ground floor focusing basically on displaying video recordings from important activities, including inspections; Minister’s tours, workshops, programs, etc. This is for visitors to the Ministry to view, while awaiting appointment;
• Personnel of the Division, including the Director, Assistant Director and public relations officers participated in several events in Monrovia such as, inspections, workshops on TIP, Decent Work Act and Health and Safety procedures for concession and hazardous work site employees.

Achievements:

The effective administrative conduct of the Division during the period under review led to the following achievements:

• Remarkable improvement in relations among the Ministry of Labour, stakeholders, the mainstream media and the general public;
• Provided full coverage for the Minister and delegation to the 2024 Annual Conference of the ILO, as well as the celebration of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons;
• Covered a review working session of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce or Trafficking in Persons (TIP);

Obtained a certificate from a Strategic Communications Training for Government Ministries and Agencies Public Relations Officers, organized by the Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) in collaboration with Genesys Communications Consulting; and Presented a blue print for the launch of the Ministry’s quarterly report.