Media
Nigeria too Strong to Disintegrate – NIPR
A group, Citizens’ Summit for National Integration, Peace and Security, said on Friday in Abuja that Nigeria and its citizens are too strongly united to be disintegrated.
The group which is under the aegis of the National Institute for Public Relations (NIPR), after its National Planning Committee meeting, said from a National survey it conducted, a vast majority of Nigerians also want Nigeria to remain united.
Briefing newsmen, the Committee chairman, Dr.
Ike Neliaku, said that since July 12 when it was inaugurated, it has visited parts of the country to consult, dialogue, meet and brainstorm with different sections of Nigerians on the “heated issues of our nationhood.“The outcome of our consultations and deliberations appear very clearly that a greater percentage of Nigerians believe in preserving the integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The question that we have to ask ourselves is: ‘if Nigerians want to stay together, if Nigerians love Nigeria, if Nigerians will want Nigeria to remain, what then is the problem?’
“Our findings revealed that if certain issues that have formed the fundamentals of agitations across the country are resolved, Nigerians will prefer to live together as Nigerians.
“If matters that have caused certain misconceptions, misunderstanding and distrust, are taken care of by leadership across board, Nigerians will prefer the option of staying together and building a strong, viral and formidable nation in Africa.
“From our findings, the NIPR believes that Nigeria is too strong to disintegrate and we as professionals are committed to making the Nigerian project work,” he said.
The Chairman called on Nigerians to join hands with the NIPR and its partners to support this Citizens Summit for National Integration, Peace and Security initiative as one way of resolving any issues.
He said that some of the issues that plague the nation are issues that could easily have been resolved, one of such issues being the federal character principle which, he noted, had not been effectively managed.
He said that the Institute is partnering with over 39 organizations across the country, including women and youth groups, adding that a national discuss among citizens could offer solutions.
“The NIPR has offered her platform being a very credible, non-partisan, neutral organization whose mandate is to promote relationship building, relationship mending, reconciliation, and so on.
“Our various committees have turned out a clear pathway which can give us what we desire to have in rebuilding the process of our nationhood.
“This is not an event, it is a process. Therefore, we are starting in October from the state, through the state consultative fora, to the zones, for the zonal dialogue series, then come to the nation’s capital for the national summit which will be in November,” he said. (NAN)
Media
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Health
ICRC Trains 25 Journalists on First Aid Treatment in Yola
From Yagana Ali, Yola.
The International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC) has organized a three -day training for 25 journalists on effective First Aid Treatment to prospective casualties.
The workshop, which took place in Yola drew the beneficiaries from different media houses across the state.
In a presentation, Communication Field Officer of the organization, Lemdi Edmond took the participants memory lane from its cradle to limelight.
He pointed out that ICRC intervenes basically in crises involving armed conflicts translating to man -made or unnatural disasters.
Edmond further explained that while the International Federation of the Red Cross intervenes in the area of natural disasters, like flood and earthquake, the National Red Cross Societies handles both natural and man – made situations.
The Communication Field Officer identified seven principles of the Committee to include humanity, impartiality,Neutrality and independence among others.
On their parts, First Aid and Pre-hospital Care Field Office Yola and Abuja respectively, Charity Maxwell and Daniel Ebodor jointly exposed the participants to the meaning, relevance and significance of the First Aid.
They maintained that First Aids basically aimed to save life, prevent condition from further deteriorating and promote speedy recovery.
They identified truthfulness, sympathy, resourcefulness, tolerance and empathy among others as qualities of a good First Aider.
The duo also enumerated and extensively explained Primary Survey variables relating to First Aid as Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing and chest compression.
Interestingly, the participants were vigorously engaged in practical First Aid treatment on various aspects having to do with Burns, Fainting, Fracture and bleeding among others.
Highlights of the training were questions and answers, presentation of certificate and First Aid Kits to the participants
COVER
Newspaper Proprietors Decry Harsh Economy, Seek FG Bailout
By David Torough, Abuja
The Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), on Thursday, urged the Federal Government to support the print media to prevent it from going extinct.
Members of NPAN said this in Abuja, during a Business Lunch for some of their colleagues who were recently appointed as ministers.
Four members of the association were recently appointed as ministers by President Bola Tinubu.
They include Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Economy; Mr Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development; Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, Minister of Information and National Orientation, and Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy.
The President of NPAN, Malam Kabir Yusuf, said that the media deserved to be supported because it played an integral role in national development.
Yusuf commended Tinubu for finding so many members of the association worthy to be appointed as ministers.
The publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, and life patron of NPAN, Mr Sam Amuka, said that it was commendable to have four of his colleagues as ministers.
He advised the ministers to represent the association well, urging them to use their influence in government to ensure a free press.
“Let the Newspapers Breathe,” he told the Ministers as he emphasised the need for Federal government intervention to save the Newspaper industry from imminent collapse.
“The Newspapers are losing revenues everyday,” Amuka stated.
In his response, the Finance Minister, Wale Edun, assured the association that Tinubu’s economic reforms would be beneficial to all individuals and groups within the country.
Edun urged members of NPAN to support the government by being factual and objective in their reportage.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, who described himself as an NPAN ambassador in government, urged journalists to be analytical and to always resist the temptation to peddle falsehood.
“Do not join the crowd to peddle falsehood, ” he said.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described himself as the luckiest information minister in history.
Malagi said that his plan was to change the face of government communication.
“Trust in the communication coming out of government will be encouraged.
“I will not tell lies; I will say it the way it is. You people should also report it the way it is, ” he said.
He said that the government would also take steps to restore the integrity of public broadcasting by equipping and empowering government-owned broadcast houses.
Also present at the business lunch was veteran journalist and former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, as well as prominent senior Nigerian journalists, proprietors, President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and that of Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba( additional reports from NAN)