The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris has called on media practitioners in the country to work together and ensure that society is being kept together and leaders are accountable.

Idris made the called in his remark at the Blueprint Public Lecture, Impact Series and Award on Tuesday in Abuja.

The event with the theme, “Exploring the Potentials of Livestock Exports” was organised by the publisher of Blueprint Newspapers Ltd.

According to Idris, the responsibility of nurturing and ensuring that our democracy thrives actually rests on the media, also known as, fourth estate of the realm.

“In doing that job, you have an enormous responsibility to hold government and leaders to account.

“But even as you do that, you also have to know that because of your vintage position and the critical role you play; if  you don’t take care, you can also bring down society.

“So the media must discern what is good information and what should be left out.

“It is imperative that, while you do your work diligently, you also have to know that you are carrying on your shoulders an enormous responsibility to keep society together.

“The media is indeed flourishing. We know and we hope that the media will continue to flourish in this country. President Bola Tinubu is an ardent supporter of the media and will never stand in its way or against it.

“Media practitioners have to come together to work this very delicate part and ensure that society is being kept together while also holding leaders and governments to account,” Idris called.

He added that Tinubu has given him a matching order to professionally carry out his job the best way he could, believing that the media is critical in nation building.

Also speaking,  the Managing Director of Blueprint Newspapers Ltd, Malam Salisu Umar saith the theme was carefully chosen to address the current national priorities around economic diversification,  rural revitalisation and food security.

Umar described the efforts of the founding chairman of the paper as a ‘never-say-die-spirit’ that provided oxygen that kept the paper moving in spite of the odds.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Livestock Development,  Alhaji Idi Maiha said Nigeria’s livestock sector has what it takes to be a major contributor of National Gross Domestic products and significant player in the global export market.

According to him, the theme of the event is  not only timely, but deeply aligned with his Ministry’s vision.

“The Livestock has capacity to contribute significantly to food security, job creation and export earnings; from cattles 58 million, sheeps 60 million,  Goats 124 million, pigs 9.3 million,  Carmels 900,000, Donkies 410,000, Poultry about 600 million.

“We have alot to celebrate in this country,” Maiha stressed.

Meanwhile the Key note Speaker,  Prof. Attahiru Jega said the sector co tribute an estimated seven to nine per cent of agricultural GDP.

Jega further explained that it provide direct a d indirect livelihoods to over 20 million Nigerians adding that the challenges need to be tackled gain  ore from the sector.

Speaking, the Minister of Women, Hajiya Imaam Suleiman-Ibrahim said her Ministry would be collaborating with the Ministry of Livestock Development on a Livestock Reform Programme for Women to empower them and move the society forward.

Also, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Oladele Alake explained that media play significant role in the development of the country.

Alake added that livestock sector is important to the economy, stressing that it was dormant for some years when it was not handled properly compared to other countries of the work.

He added that Tinubu has done well be establishing a ministry for the sector.