Don’t work as opposition – Kano Govt begs Journalists
Kano State Government, has urged Journalists not to do the work of opposition, in an attempt to perform their duties.
In his remarks shortly after the inauguration of an additional council member, Kano State Correspondents’ chapel, Baba Dantiye, a former Director General, Media and Communications to Ex-governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, regretted that some Journalists outrightly pitch their tent, with the opposition instead of been fair and objective in their reportage.
“Journalists should be fair and just in their reportage of events, so as to transparently maintain their status, as the eyes, ears and mirror of the society.”
Also, Dantiye restated the readiness of the State Government to cooperate and partner with Journalists toward it’s efforts in uplifting the state to another level of socio-economic development.
The State Commissioner for Information, Comrade Hililu Dantiye, made the pledge at the swearing in of the Correspondents’ Chapel exco, held at the NUJ Press Centre, on Tuesday.
Dantiye, who was a former President of the Nigerian Guild of Editor’s (NGE), used the occasion to charge Journalists to be neutral, fair and objective in their report rather than being partisan, while discharging their official responsibilities.
According to him, it would be unbecoming for a Journalist to take sides in his report as an opposition, adding that it is a lot more honourable to be objective subjective, while reporting events.
He regretted instances whereby a Journalist’s report tilts toward the Opposition party instead of being objective, regretting that this stance does not augur well for the Journalism profession.
The emergence of the new exco, under the Chairmanship of Aminu Garko, Bureau Chief of the News Agency of Nigeria followed a by-election to fill the vacancies created by the exit of the erstwhile Chairman, Ibrahim Garba, who was appointed as the Chief Press Secretary to the Kano Deputy Governor, Alhaji Abdulsalam Aminu Gwarzo.
Others elected include, Abdullahi Jalaludeen and Bashir Bello of the Vanguard Newspaper, as Vice Chairman and Assistant Secretary respectively.
In his acceptance speech, the new Chairman, Aminu Garko, pledged to be objective in the discharge of his responsibilities by carrying all members along.
Also, he pledged to operate an open door policy, just as he reminded the Police Command to always invite Reporters for the coverage of Police activities, instead of sending Journalists stereotyped press statement.
