My administration is open for interrogation - Gov Bagudu

 

Ismail Adebayo, Birnin Kebbi

The Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has said his administration is open for interrogation because his government is running an open door policy and it is ready to respond to inquiries on issues of governance by the media.

Bagudu during a two- day training workshop on etiquette for new media practice said the media can interrogate his administration and ask meaningful questions but not respond to opinions.

"Journalists are free to visit any of the ministry in the state and interrogate them on the activities of Government and we will be ready to offer relevant Information"' he said.

The Governor described social media practitioners as agents of development while making a passionate call on both journalists and the social media members to put hands on deck in reporting objectively the developmental strides of his administration towards solving the myriads of problems bedevilling the state and the nation  at large.

He also urged the new media practitioners to help security agencies by reporting hideouts of criminal elements in order to strengthen the peace and security of the state. 

He said," The new media is part of the instruments that shape the perception of people in the society, hence the training of the practitioners to unite people rather than destroying them via fake news and divisive postings. 

Bagudu who was represented by  the Secretary to the State Government (SSG),  Babale Umar Yauri called for more concerted efforts by the practitioners and stakeholders to address challenges of security and national unity facing the country.

Earlier, the state Commissioner for Information and Culture, Hajiya Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, said that the training was timely as the nation is approaching electioneering period. 

"You will all benefit from the technicalities, do's and don'ts of social media usage. This will further equip you to be able to practice safely and without bias," she said. 

She said the issues of training and retraining must have to be considered in order to enable the practitioners play their role appropriately without conflicting interest. 

She lamented that the country was going through challenges, adding that ," we must use the social media to unite our people rather than divide them, we must be seen to be bridge- builders rather than promoters of hatred.", she said.

Tanko-Ayuba, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Garba Hamisu-Zuru, explained that the training for the practitioners, which was the third in series, indicated the seriousness of the government in promoting the ethics of Journalism.