Oman to appoint spokespersons for service units: Information minister

Muscat: Dr. Abdullah Nasser Al Harrasi, Minister of Information, said that the Council of Ministers decided to appoint spokespersons for service units of the State’s Administrative Apparatus and other public legal persons/entities.

The minister pointed out that the step seeks to present, through the media, the visions of government departments in matters related to the services they render to society. He said that a spokesperson answers queries made by the press about public services, besides dealing with issues raised in the media.

In a press statement, the minister said that a spokesperson would work in accordance with specific terms of reference to consolidate the relationship between his/her respective institution and the media. A spokesperson portrays the typical image of a government institution by appearing on all media and various platforms, the minister added.

Dr. Abdullah affirmed that the Ministry of Information would work towards developing training plans to enhance spokespersons’ skillls in dealing with the media. This is in addition to promoting all that relates to skills of high professionalism, thus enabling the spokespersons to convey appropriate messages to the society and inform the media about the latest developments within the scope of a government unit where deemed necessary, said the minister.

Dr. Abdullah explained that the appointment of spokespersons will contribute to informing the media and public opinion about the roles entrusted to government units in a manner that realizes the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. The step also constitutes a major approach to keep pace with different situations as they develop, thereby limiting the spread of rumours, especially those related to government services. – ONA