NKRUMAH BANKONG-OBI/Lafia
The Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State, Dr. Labaran Shuaibu Magaji has called on journalists in the State to carry out their duties effectively with the view to helping the State achieve progress. The SSG who assumed office a month ago, spoke in Lafia on Wednesday while receiving members of the Correspondents Chapel in his office. “I will be quick to beg you to please, whatever you are going to do, Nasarawa State belongs to all of us. Whatever is needed to be corrected, you have access to all of us, a phone call away, rather than to rubbish the state which you are also a beneficiary, on the pages of a newspaper or on the screen of television, that will add no single value to you or your life,” he said while calling for professional collaboration between the government and the reporters.
Labaran assured that proper channels of communication will be opened up so that information can be readily available. This way, he said, the state will benefit when factual accuracy is observed in the reportage of events. The dissemination of the right information, Labaran noted has been pivotal to the many gains that Nasarawa State is reaping today: “So, the same thing will be applicable to our stay in government. Government is about public perception. So, if there are any activities of government, it is imperative that the line Ministry or officers in-charge of it should come out to give you information relating to what is happening in government. And that explains why you see time without number, His Excellency, the governor himself, will make himself available to the world, to explain to them what exactly the government of Nasarawa State under his administration is doing. It is because of these frequent engagements with the world that Nasarawa State is placed in high pedestal in the global map when it comes to the fortune and the potentialities of the State.”
The SSG who is the immediate-past Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Nasarawa State, while thanking members of the Correspondents Chapel for their cooperation with the government and for appreciating the governor for finding him worthy to be appointed into the sensitive position of government, said he will work with Ministries, Departments and Agencies to open up the information flow space for journalists “I want to sincerely thank you for all the support you have been giving this administration under His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, and to specially thank you for thanking the governor for finding me worthy of this assignment,” he said promising that “I will use this platform, to chip in to the MDAs to make available all the information that you may require, that is not inimical to the working of the government, to you people. I think that will now serve as your raw material that you will use in enhancing your work. And continue the support you are giving this government. I am happy to say that His Excellency has brought one of you to serve as the Commissioner for information. So, I think you have a rallying point, very formidable one for that matter, so that all information will now have professional output in whatever that is going out there,” he noted.
Earlier in his address, Isaac Ukpoju, chairman of the Correspondent Chapel said the appointment of Labaran as SSG did not come as a surprise to the Chapel because of his record of service. “This appointment didn’t come to us as a surprise, given your track record of achievements in the public service. There is no reason why we should stay aloof, when you are given this kind of responsibility. So, we are only here to assure you of our commitment to work with you,” thanking the governor of Nasarawa State for assigning him this responsibility. He called on government officials to open up the space and let reporters have access to information they required to do their jobs.