Nasarawa Government to commence monthly press briefings, Information Commissioner says
Nasarawa State Government would soon commence monthly press briefings as part of its resolve to operate an open door policy that would keep the people of the state abreast of its policies and programmes, Mr Dogo Shammah, State Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, has said.
Speaking when he received the Deputy Director News, Federal Radio Corporation (FRCN) North Central Zone, Mr Akange Nyagba, in his office on Friday, in Lafia, Shammah reiterated the value the state administration accorded the media, and hence the effort to provide access to the media to operate in the state.
Shammah said that since the present administration came on board, the press and the Government had enjoyed a cordial relationship, noting that monthly press briefings would be key to the transparency policies of Government.
While calling on the press to support the Government to fast track development, the commissioner enjoined members of the fourth estate of the realm to strictly adhere to the ethics of the profession, such as balance and fair reportage, to eradicate fake news in the society.
He described the visit and the request to seek collaboration to organise the North Central editorial conference as apt, saying that it would mitigate fake news, thereby engendering professionalism.
Speaking earlier, Mr Akange Nyagba, said the purpose of the visit was to seek collaboration with the Nasarawa State Government to organise the FRCN’s North Central Zonal Editorial news conference in Lafia.
He explained that the conference would involve heads of news and editors of FRCN stations in the North Central Zone, as well as Journalists working under the Nasarawa State broadcast media organisations.
Nyagba said the news conference became necessary in view of the various national challenges such as banditry, kidnapping, political wrangling, herders and farmers skirmishes that had bedeviled the country and the need for professionalism to ensure national cohesion.
“In view of these national challenges, there’s need for unbiased media reportage that seek to mend fences and not to escalate them, the media must stand up to its responsibility as gate keepers,” he said.
