THE benefit of investment in human capital development can't be quantified. In fact, productivity level of any company's workforce is always a function of how often workers are updated in terms of skills and expertise required for optimal performance, especially in this era of fast changing operational environment.At the national communication summit held last week in Kaduna, the Public Relations expert and founder of Timex School of Communication (TsC), Mallam Kabir Dangogo underscored the need for businesses (corporate, public and private) to get their priorities right by investing in human capital development.Specifically, the CEO of Timex Communications (Nig.) Limited admonished governments at all levels to take advantage of regular training programmes being offered by the school 'for the capacity building of their information officers.' Resources spend on training, Dangogo asserted, 'are money wisely invested.'The summit, third in the series, was the last to be offered this year by the school. 'A new programme for 2012 will be designed and communicated to all stakeholders in due course,' he promised.The package, Dangogo remarked, 'should be a programme that will respond to the training needs of our corporate and public clients and satisfies the objectives of the school.'The programme for 2012 will include a special session for the CEOs of companies enhancing the communication needs of their companies in these hard times. Others are strategic business communication, effective public information management programmes and, possibly, a global reputation summit. Details of these programmes are being worked out and will eventually be made available on our website.'He was, however, full of appreciation to all the corporate organisations that sustained the school throughout the outgoing year 'by sending participants to our training programmes.'For their valued patronage, Mallam Dangogo singled out Katsina state government, 'the only state government that responded to our call'; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation; NNPC Kaduna; Union Bank Plc and Union Assurance for special appreciation, saying, 'We hope they will continue to patronise the school in our efforts at human capital development.'He has words of advice for other states of the federation as he calls on them 'to get their priorities right by investing in human capital development. They should patronise Timex School of Communication for the capacity building of their information officers. Resources spent on training are money wisely invested.'As usual, the opening ceremony that prefaced the three-day training exercise last Monday paraded former Director General, Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Mallam Mohammed Ibrahim as chairman, while former Executive Director, Spring Bank Plc, Dr. Kabir Ahmed presented the keynote address.Other dignitaries at the occasion were Director of Arewa House, Dr. Kabir Chafe; Chairman of the Editorial Board of Blueprint, Mallam Modibbo Kawu; and former Managing Director of UBA Plc, Mallam Abba Kyari among others.In his remarks, Dr. Ahmed reaffirmed the significance of PR to company's growth and profitability. 'Public Relations is an enterprise which requires finesse, discipline, organisational ability, adeptness and time-management. It can only effectively thrive when it is practiced with ethics and integrity,' he said.Apart from being an important academic and professional discipline, Dr. Ahmed cautioned that Public Relations should not be seen merely as a cost-center. 'It adds to the profitability of organisations,' he insisted.He supported his argument with the comment of the International Association of Business Communications in the United Kingdom, that Public Relations 'actually contribute to the bottom-line. It supports the strategic objectives of the company, nurtures relationship with internal and external publics as well as stakeholders. Public Relations contribute to the bottom-line by preventing the costs of conflicts with key publics in terms of strikes, litigation and boycotts. Public Relations also help companies to make money by enhancing relationships with customers and regulators.'He therefore, urged the facilitators to do justice to the various multi-faceted topics of the summit. His expectation was that the discussions would be intellectually stimulating and profound such that 'by the time the summit comes to an end, participants would have been enriched in their knowledge and understanding of the complex issues in public relations.'Dr. Ahmed marveled at the modest contribution of TsC to human capital development within its short time of existence as reflected in its clientele.His words: 'The client base of the school ' state governments, banks and government parastatals ' testify to the public relations expertise and professionalism of the founder, a very demanding round-the'clock preoccupation, from my personal experience of heading the Corporate Affairs Division of a leading Nigerian Bank several years ago.'He is optimistic that, in due course, the school will be upgraded to the status of a degree awarding institution possibly in partnership with government and other private sector operators.'I pray that one day the school will grow in size and academic scope and be at par with the Institute for Public Relations in Gainesville, Florida whose mission is to 'improve the effectiveness of organisations by advancing the professional knowledge and practice of public relations through research and education.' Ahmed concluded.
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