The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening strategic communication in support of public sector reforms following its participation in a two-day Public Relations and Communications Managers and Officers’ Workshop that the Government organized.

The workshop, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology with support from the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), was held under the theme “Building Effective Communication for National Development”.

The meeting brought together communication professionals from State-Owned Enterprises, Statutory Corporations and Government Agencies.

Presiding over the workshop, Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Honorable Dr. Shadric Namalomba, MP, emphasized that communication is no longer an accessory to governance but an essential pillar of good governance, public accountability and national development.

He thus challenged all participants to elevate the role of communication in their organizations.

“Public Relations Officers should be part of strategic decision-making. They should understand policy before it is announced. They should help institutions anticipate public concerns. They should support leadership in communicating with clarity, empathy and confidence. Communication should never be an afterthought,” Hon. Namalomba said.

Director of Government Communication Deogratias Mmana noted significant fragmentation in how government entities communicate with the public and called for stronger inter-agency coordination to better amplify the government’s development work.

Mmana said Government is implementing numerous projects and programs across Ministries, Departments and Agencies which require coordinated communication. 

He therefore challenged communication professionals to move beyond working in institutional silos and strengthen collaboration so that government communicates with greater consistency, clarity and collective purpose.

For PPDA, participation in the workshop was particularly significant as the Authority continues to champion major public procurement reforms through the Malawi National Electronic Procurement System (MANePS), making strategic communication critical to ensuring that stakeholders understand and embrace the reforms.

Speaking on the significance of the workshop, PPDA Public Relations and Communications Manager, Mandy Pondani, said the Authority considered participation essential because of the strategic nature of its communications mandate in the ongoing procurement reform process.

“PPDA is championing one of the most significant public sector reforms through MANePS, and therefore communication cannot be treated as an afterthought; we need to ensure that our stakeholders understand the reform, appreciate its value and have confidence in the systems and processes being introduced,” Pondani said.

She added that strengthening communication capacity would enable the Authority to anticipate emerging issues, translate technical reforms for different audiences and provide strategic communication support to management.