Kano: CITAD commissions first social media lab, online radio studio in north

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has commissioned a social media lab and online radio studio in its headquarters in Kano state.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, held at the CITAD’s headquarters in Kano yesterday, Executive Director of the organization, Yunusa Z. Ya’u said the facility was first of its kind in Northern Nigeria.
He said the facility, which was commissioned for use by the Kano Commissioner for Information, Mallam Muhammadu Garba, would be used to promote social media entrepreneurship, accountability and good governance.
He explained that the social media lab, donated by McArthur Foundation, is equipped with 40 sets of state-of- the-art laptops and a modern radio presentation studio.
Ya’u however stated that CITAD is going to train 5000 social media users in Kano in the next three months on ethical journalism as a means of providing social responsibility, accountability and good governance in the country.
“We at the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) intend to train 5000 social media users on ethical journalism in the next three months” he stated.
He explained the need for the Social media to be utilised positively not only for entrepreneur but also for promoting transparency, accountability and good governance while explaining how it has broken all barriers and provided a platform for expression of voices of the public.
“Social media should be used to promote accountability, transparency and democracy.
“The social media did not only create jobs but also serve as means to check governance and fight against corruption.
“People will fight corruption when they understand why their children cannot go to school, why their are no effective healthcare delivery services, why there are no good roads or why they cannot travel from Kano to Kaduna due to insecurity. It is through ethical journalism that all these could be achieved” he stated.
In his goodwill message, the information commissioner, represented by Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Usman Bala, called for the establishment of an international or a regional framework for social media practices.
He commanded CITAD for the initiative, adding that the Non Governmental Organization had contributed immensely to the development of social media in northern Nigeria.