The Institute of Public Relations, Ghana (IPR Ghana) is receiving growing recognition for its leadership role in advancing public relations practice on the African continent and globally.
President of IPR Ghana, Esther A. N. Cobbah, FIPR, disclosed this when she addressed members at the 2026 National Public Relations Summit and Annual General Meeting held under the theme “Public Relations and Leadership Readiness.”
According to Ms. Cobbah, IPR Ghana recently received an award for its work and support to the African Public Relations Association (APRA), the continental body for public relations practice in Africa. The award, she noted, acknowledges Ghana’s consistent contribution to APRA’s growth and activities over the years.
She revealed that IPR Ghana’s programmes were also recently showcased to all APRA members, giving the Institute continental visibility. This showcase happened through the maiden Annual Edzikanfo Lecture held in honour of J. E. Allotey Pappoe, FIPR, a doyen of public relations in Ghana and Africa.
The Edzikanfo Lecture, she explained, not only celebrated the legacy of Mr. Allotey Pappoe but also celebrated IPR Ghana’s own contribution to the establishment and growth of APRA itself. She urged members to continue learning leadership lessons from the Edzikanfo Lectures year after year.
On the global stage, Ms. Cobbah said IPR Ghana’s voice continues to be heard loudly through her own presidency of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA). She described it as a platform that has positioned Ghana as a thought leader in global PR conversations.
She further announced that IPR Ghana’s Vice President, Donald Dwira, now serves on the IPRA Artificial Intelligence Chapter, while a Ghanaian environmental journalist also serves on IPRA’s Climate Change Communication Chapter. Both appointments, she said, reflect confidence in Ghanaian expertise.
The partnership with IPRA, she added, is also yielding practical benefits for members. Through the partnership, IPR Ghana members now have access to global resources such as Thought Leadership Essays and other professional development materials that enrich local practice.
Ms. Cobbah noted that these continental and global engagements are not for prestige alone, but form part of a broader commitment to build a profession anchored on competence, ethical conduct, continuous improvement and accountability.
She said IPR Ghana’s influence is also felt at home through its representation on key state institutions, including the National Media Commission, the National Engineering Coordinating Team’s Communications Committee, the Ghana AIDS Commission and the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, where the Institute contributes to leadership effectiveness and responsible communication.
She concluded that sustaining this continental and global presence will require deliberate investment in professional standards, sound governance and institutions that can guide practice, which is why the Institute has devoted energy to getting the IPR Ghana Bill passed and strengthening its secretariat.
By Robert Dela Mawuenyegah (Member, IPR Ghana) // Newswatchgh.com
