Ghana's public relations practitioners have been exhorted to become more assertive and visible in the setting of the nation's development agenda to garner the respect and recognition the profession deserves. "As PR practitioners, we must feel challenged to participate in the national discourse on issues that we claim to be knowledgeable about…We have to earn whatever respect and acknowledgement we believe we deserve", said Major Albert Don-Chebe (rtd), at his investiture as the President of the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana during a short ceremony in Accra on Tuesday. "Spend a little time strengthening the profession; a strong institute translates into strong members and greater respect and recognition for all of us in our various organisations. "Let’s eschew apathy and readily contribute our experience, knowledge, time and presence to IPR and together we would develop the Institute and a Profession that we can all be proud of", he continued. Other executive council members were inducted into office. They include Mr Perry Ofosu, Vice President, Mrs Giftie Jones-Quartey, Honourary Secretary and Ms Patience Mamle Asare, Treasurer. Major Don-Chebe (rtd), who praised his predecessor Vicky Wiredo-Andoh for her "sterling leadership" during her tenure pledged to build upon her successes. According to him, his team intend adopting a more activist stance on national and topical issues "with a bearing on image, reputation and branding" because public relations had a role to play in the country's development. He stated: "This is a role which is more or less our natural inheritance and we will be doing our country a disservice if we are hesitant in offering our advice and leadership in respect of those issues.” "We should be setting the scene and providing guidance and direction in matters of public decorum, image-making and reputational management. "We intend to earn ourselves recognition and acknowledgement as the agents for shaping effective relationships, developing enviable images and acquiring desirable reputations." The IPR President pledged to use his tenure to revamp PR training and education, reinforce the relevance of public relations, establish beneficial relationships with mature PR institutes overseas, and link up with training institutions in Ghana to ensure that the requisite curriculum is used in training Pr practitioners. He said he intended to create opportunities for all persons serving in PR positions to profesionalise and gain membership of the Institute, as well as strengthen student chapters and mentorship programmes started by the previous executive team. Source: GNA