TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has revealed plans to convert one of its abandoned broadcasting facilities at Abaji Area Council of the territory to a training centre for media practitioners.
Speaking on behalf of the administration, the Managing Director, Abuja Broadcasting Corporation Ltd, Mr. Ibrahim Damisa, said this would be made possible if only the recommendation on the abandoned broadcasting facilities at Abaji is considered.
He made this known in Abuja during a tour of facilities of the Abuja Broadcasting Corporation Ltd, Headquarters by the FCT Ministers Press Corps, on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to him, the management team of the station has recommended to the FCT Minister , the need to convert the station’s abandoned facilities to a training centre where media practitioners’ capacity would be built through regular training.
” We are looking at how we can use our facilities at Abaji to build capacity for journalists, if our recommendations are accepted, we shall proceed to establish a training school there”, he said.
Damisa also frowned at the damaging effects of fake news on the image of the country, as being promoted by citizen journalists on social media , while urging professional media practitioners to remain distinguished and always be committed to the ethics of the profession.
He attributed the rapid transformation in the station to the resolve of the Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello to revive all revenue generating agencies under his administration, he equally reiterated commitment to the welfare of staff , which he said was utmost to the sustainability of the on going transformation.
He, therefore, called on policy makers to always recognise media practitioners as well as carry them along in policies implementation.
Saying, implementation of many of government’s policies fail, when the media is not properly incorporated into the processes and also empowered to bridge the communication gap between government and the people.
Damisa ,however, opined that the backlash that followed the recent increments in electricity tarrif, petrol pump prices, even the subsidy removal was because the media were not recognised as a stabilising factor.
According to him; ” you are the ones bringing the communication gap between the people and the government. When it comes to communications, journalists play a very good role, they play the role of preparing the minds of the people to be receptive to the policy implementation.
” When electricity tarrif was increased the journalists were not recognise, the journalists would have taken sensitization about the increment to the people.
” We need to know as reporters what the government is doing so that it can be properly communicated to the people, especially on the issue of subsidy removal , the journalists need to prepare the mind of the people “
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the FCT Minister Press Corps, Comrade Attah Ikharo noted that what the media organisation have on ground, the station will compete favourably with sister organisations both within and outside the FCT.
The Chairman who was represented at the occasion by his Vice Chairman, Alhaji Hudu Yakubu said the visit was in recognition of the noticeable achievements in the media organisation.
