By Palma Ileye
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has received the Fellowship of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), pledging to strengthen public policy communication to ensure Nigerians were better informed about government programmes and reforms.
The fellowship, presented at the Minister’s office in Abuja yesterday, recognises Alake’s contributions to strategic communication, ethical public engagement and national development.
Presenting the award, the Director-General of ARCON, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, described the honour as a fitting recognition of Alake’s distinguished career in journalism, public communication and public service.
Fadolapo said the minister has successfully used strategic communication to drive reforms in the solid minerals sector, positioning it as a key pillar of Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
According to him, Alake has combined policy innovation with purposeful stakeholder engagement to boost investor confidence, enhance public trust and increase awareness of major reforms in the mining sector.
He noted that the Ministry’s communication strategy has helped highlight initiatives aimed at combating illegal mining, promoting mineral beneficiation and value addition, while attracting responsible investments into the sector.
Fadolapo also commended Alake’s decades-long career in journalism and strategic communications, describing him as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished media professionals whose integrity and professionalism have earned widespread respect.
Responding, Alake thanked ARCON for the recognition, saying the fellowship underscores the critical role of effective communication in governance.
The Minister said the honour would further inspire efforts to promote transparency, accountability and sustained engagement with citizens, investors, host communities and other stakeholders in advancing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda for the solid minerals sector.
He reaffirmed his commitment to improving public awareness of government policies through effective communication and strategic public engagement.
