Major Albert Don-Chebe rtd, President of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), has said the institute would celebrate its 40th anniversary on the theme: ‘IPR@40: Consolidating the image of Ghana as a peaceful and democratic nation’.

He said the theme chosen for the celebration would dwell on certain internal and external elements that may hinder the country’s peace and democracy.

Major Don-Chebe rtd announced this when he led a delegation of members to call on the Information Minister, Mr Fritz Barfour at the Ministry in Accra.

Major Don-Chebe acknowledged Ghana’s peerless stature as a beacon of stability, peace and progress within the West African sub-region hence the theme chosen for its 40th anniversary.

He said the celebration would also discuss specific sub themes relating to the consolidation of peace.

‘IPR believes that the need for clear, simple and effective communication has never been more apparent or necessary since recent revelations of corporate scandals and stories of faltering leadership across all spheres of life had put our institutions and the general populace under unprecedented stress’ he added.

Major Don-Chebe indicated that it was in this light that the institute developed the concept of ‘PR book of peace’ to hold certain important public figures responsible for the kind of speech they delivered to safeguard the peace of the country at ensuring that messages that emanated from institutions were persuasive, believable and actionable.

He noted that the PR book of peace would be sent across the country to commit some public figures, the Presidency, Parliament and the Judiciary, Ministries, Churches, Mosques, Public and Private institutions, CEOs and Heads to sign on behalf of their organizations.

Major Don-Chebe said the relationship between the Ministry and IPR had been consistent and cordial hence the need for the Information Services Department (ISD) to join the Institute to be able to acquire more skills.

Mr Joseph Emmanuel Allotey-Pappoe, Council Member and former president of the Federation of African Public Relations Association (FAPRA), urged the Minister to ensure that ISD staff became active members of the Institute so it could assist them in their undertakings.

Mr Fritz Baffour, Minister of Information stated that the training of ISD personnel was vital to information dissemination since news stories being carried in recent times "has become a sorry one".

Mr Baffour said the media needed a massive campaign on the dissemination of information and noted that more value had to be added to human life especially concerning the road use of the N1 highway where human lives were being lost adding that he believed in peaceful elections and not a campaign of insults.

IPR is the sole professional body for Public Relations Practitioners in Ghana aimed at providing a professional structure for the practice of public relations and also enhance the ability and status of its members as professional practitioners.

It is also aimed at promoting the PR body for increased stakeholder value, consolidate and establish IPR as a distinctive, respectable and proactive professional body in managing relationships with government and media agencies.

Events of the anniversary would include: West African Regional Conference / Trade Fair on Strategic communication, first IPR Student Chapter conference, quiz competition, book launches and PR Excellence Awards and Dinner ball.