The need for proper guidelines and regulations in using social media for government communication is crucial for a healthy democracy, according to information and communication technology minister Peya Mushelenga.
Addressing government spokespersons from various offices, ministries, agencies, regional councils and local authorities attending a five-day review workshop on the implementation of the Government Communication Strategy (2022-2027) at Swakopmund, Mushelenga highlighted the importance of the creation of a Social Media User Guidelines.
“Over the years, social media has emerged as a game-changer in communicating with our stakeholders,” he said, underlining that the objective of the guideline is to manage this tool in a manner that aligns with democratic norms, promoting consistency, transparency and effective governance.
Addressing the challenges of navigating the digital media landscape, Mushelenga acknowledged the difficult task of leveraging these platforms for optimum communication with the public.
“In the age of social media, public institutions face a daunting challenge of how best to use the emerging digital media ecosystems to communicate with the target population and stakeholders.”
He emphasised that the draft social media guidelines would provide crucial directives for government institutions on what to post, when and how to handle sensitive information and feedback online.
Mushelenga also highlighted the importance of using these platforms to promote transparency and citizen involvement in policy-making.
While recognising the challenges, Mushelenga underlined the benefits of proper government communication, specifically through social media.
From providing information to facilitating public discussions and decisions, he said that “government institutions provide citizens with information to enhance their perceptions, evaluations, and choices to improve the quality of citizen decision-making”.
He also noted the importance of the Access to Information Act 8 of 2022, which is set to be implemented soon, and encouraged government communication officers to adapt “and not be found wanting”.
“This mandate becomes increasingly critical now. You must adapt to this new trend and reality by disseminating public information to our constituencies and clientele,” he said.
The Government Communication Strategy (2022-2027), which was launched last year, sets out the government’s strategy for enhancing information flow to citizens, engaging in more proactive public relations, and bolstering advocacy efforts.
It flows from the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology’s Communication Plan (2016-2020) that, according to the document’s executive summary, emphasised the need for the ministry to synchronise the roles of government communication officers, aligning them with the co-function of information dissemination.
It also aimed to embrace the government’s information policy and the access to information legislation.
However, it note that, despite the adoption of various government policies and initiatives aimed at stimulating national economic development and social transformation, public understanding and uptake of these policies remained a considerable challenge.
The new Government Communication Strategy promises to rectify these issues, encouraging a holistic approach to government communications.
“The government must communicate proactively, regularly, openly and interactively about its work to broad target groups. By providing reliable information, the government will be able to curb disinformation, fake news and attempts to distort decision-making and opinions,” said Mushelenga.
