Accra, Feb. 8, GNA - The Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications Africa Limited (Stratcomm Africa), Ms. Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, has been elected to membership of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) as the representative for Ghana and to chair the Ghana Branch of the IPRA.

Her two-year term of office took effect from January 1, 2010, according to a statement from Stratcom. Formed in 1955, the Association aims at providing intellectual leadership in the practice of public relations globally, promote the highest standard in the practice of public relations and to provide a channel for the exchange of professional experience between practitioners engaged in public relations.

As the national chairperson, Ms. Cobbah will be expected to develop local activities for members, provide liaison between IPRA secretariat and Ghana, provide country information to the international office and maintain relations between the IPRA and the international relations body in the country which is the Institute of Public Relations Ghana. Ms. Esther Cobbah takes over from Mr. J. E. Alottey-Pappoe, a public relations consultant and lecturer. In the letter congratulating the new Ghana chair, Mr. Alottey-Pappoe appealed to Ms. Cobbah to work towards making IPRA more relevant to its membership in Ghana.

He said: "You are taking over at a time of intense changes in the world which pose major challenges for all peoples, institutions and states, particularly IPRA. "It is my expectation that in championing the professional interests of our membership in IPR, you will continue the effort started by the handful of council members from Africa in bringing to the attention of council the need for IPRA to be relevant in our continent." Ms. Cobbah said, "I will work with other esteemed members of the International Public Relations Associations in Ghana to use this opportunity to promote our country and PR practice in Ghana whilst sharing knowledge gained from the international context with local PR practitioners." She, therefore, called on all local PR practitioners to take advantage of the international network that IPRA provided to improve their skills and contribute to the growth of Ghana by providing quality Public Relations service to the nation and the world at large. 8 Feb. 10