Kaduna Governor moves to strengthen media relations

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

In what seems a departure from the relationship between the Kaduna State Government and the media in the state, as the Governor Uba Sani has started scaling up measures to strengthen relationship with the media, in the interest of good governance.
To this end, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Muhammad Lawal Shehu, embarked on a tour of media establishments in the state.
A statement from the office of the government House signed by Mock Samuel Kure, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Publicity dated June 8, 2023 said the purpose of the visit was to strengthen the working relationship between the state government and media organizations, as well as to project a positive image of Kaduna State.
The media stations visited by Mr. Shehu included Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Kaduna, Freedom Radio, and Liberty Radio/TV.
The statement further said: “the tour is a demonstration of Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to fostering a healthy relationship with the media and ensuring transparent communication with the public.
“During his visit to the media organizations, Mr. Shehu pledged to work towards mending any possible gap that exists in the relationship between the state government and media practitioners. He emphasized the importance of collaboration in promoting accurate reportage and projection of a positive image of Kaduna State.
“He posited that Gov Uba Sani, being one of those who fought for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria, has always been a friend of the media. He further buttresses this point by citing instances where Senator Sani assisted so many media practitioners in Kaduna State long before becoming a Senator.
“He emphasized that both the media and government have a common goal, which is to serve the people of Kaduna State, and that they can achieve this goal more effectively by working together.
“He therefore urged journalists to be fair and balanced in their reportage, while also assuring them that their concerns would be addressed by his office.
“In their respective responses, the heads of the media organizations visited expressed appreciation for Mr. Shehu’s initiative and promised to work with the state government towards achieving its objectives of taking the Kaduna State to an enviable height”.