U.S based group honours Oghenesivbe with Pacesetter Award

… Urges AMEESA to be stakeholders in Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E agenda.

A socioeconomic and intergovernmental organisation, the African and Middle East Economic Sustainability Alliance, AMEESA, has presented “Pacesetter Award” to the immediate past Executive Assistant on Communications to the Governor of Delta State under Okowa administration, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq, for improving public service through result oriented Strategic Communication and Diplomacy.

The transnational organization with headquarters in New York, United States of America, had in a letter signed by the Special Envoy to Nigeria, His Excellency, Ambassador Oluwagbenga David, noted that “as the transition in various government offices deepens in 2023, the Pacesetter Award is our etiquette of accolade for government stakeholders in Africa and Middle East, whose initiative, courage, perseverance and excellence convey the strength of character, and qualities of leadership that make them Pacesetters.”

“We painstakingly monitored the just concluded general elections in Nigeria, and more particularly in Delta State, a state in Southern Nigeria, which experienced electioneering turbulence from party primaries through the general elections.

“The multifaceted media altercations between the party in power and the major opposition party almost degenerated into youth upheaval and violence, but you were able to deploy strategic political communication to place issues in their right perspectives, and in the process averted youth restiveness and violence in Delta State during and after the elections.

“Your activities were closely monitored through the new and conventional media, where you demonstrated inestimable professional skills, navigating through troubled waters of opposition media propaganda, and at the end your principal won convincingly without any violence or protest in the state.

“After reviewing your performance as the spokesperson of your party during the electioneering period, we deem it fit to honour and recognize your inestimable efforts with the PACESETTER AWARD.

“You are the first Communication Strategist to receive this prestigious Award in Delta State, endorsed by our major partner, the International Human Rights Commission, IHRC, of the United Nations.

“We congratulate you, and to invite you to our headquarters in New York, to discuss issues of mutual interests.” the Special Envoy said.

Oghenesivbe, who is also a full member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, and a Distinguished Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information and Strategy Management, Dcism, was on Wednesday June 7, decorated with the AMEESA Merit Award medal, Certificate and other souvenirs by Representatives of the Special Envoy of the African and Middle East Economic Sustainability Alliance, led by Barrister Elizabeth Ekwerekwu, the South-South Coordinator.

In his remark after receiving the Award, Oghenesivbe said the AMEESA Pacesetter Award is the third in the series of Awards after the 2023 general elections, adding that he received a total of twelve Awards while serving as Executive Assistant on Communications under Okowa administration.

He thanked the immediate past governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, CON, for providing the platform, the enabling environment, and for approving and funding several capacity building workshops and Professional Doctorate Degree Programme in Strategic Communication and Information Management, which further sharpened his professional skills for result oriented service delivery.

He urged AMEESA to find ways and means of partnering with the government of Delta State, in the area of poverty alleviation and co-funding of youth empowerment programmes, such as Rysa, Step, Yagep and Girl Child Projects, being an intergovernmental organisation responsible for economic sustainability in Africa and Middle East.

“The M.O.R.E agenda of the state governor, Rt Hon (Elder) Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, is people focused in terms of human capicity development, youth and women vocational training and empowerment. It will be most ideal if your organisation partner the state government, so as to take more of our people from the already congested labour market.

“Governor Oborevwori is very much interested in upscaling the number of youth and women that would benefit from these programmes subject to availability of funds, which is why your involvement and partnership will go extra miles to expand the net and substantially increase the number of beneficiaries.”

Oghenesivbe thanked AMEESA for the Award and agreed to visit it’s headquarters in New York before December, as requested.

The brief Award ceremony took place in the State capital of Asaba, and was attended by some members of the Coalition for Media Politics and Governance, CMPG.