NEWS
With Digitalisation, Things have Changed Fast — Sanwo-Olu
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says digitalisation has come to stay, and everyone must realise that with it, tthings have changed very fast.
Sanwo-Olu gave the advice in Lagos on Thursday while declaring open a two-day workshop on Good Corporate Governance, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).
The workshop has the theme, “Journalism and Digitalisation: The Imperative of Good Corporate Governance”.
The governor described the theme of the workshop as “apt and speaking to the reality of where we find ourselves”.
He said that digitalisation had changed for instance, the way news sometimes breaks, leaving newsrooms to do follow-ups after the news was already out.
Sanwo-olu said that with the reality of digitalisation, there was also the need for good corporate governance to ensure things were done properly.
He described journalism as a noble profession that gives the public independent assessment and holds the government accountable.
The governor emphasised the importance of freedom of the press, but said there was the need to be circumspect and to eradicate fake news by verifying before posting on digital platforms.
He urged the media to abide by ethics of the profession and regulate themselves appropriately.
Sanwo-Olu said that his administration identified the importance of technology and gave it an important place in its THEMES agenda.
The governor said that the state government was laying the first phase of 3000 km fibre optic connectivity ducts in the state.
He said they hoped to start the second phase of another 3000 km by the beginning of next year.
Sanwo-Olu said this was to bring internet closer to the people.
He said some global companies were also bringing in infrastructure that would drive down the cost of internet connectivity and make it cheaper.
The governor urged the media to take advantage of these initiatives..
Earlier in his speech, NGE President, Mr Mustapha Isah, said that digital journalism had introduced changes which the traditional media were adopting to transform the information space.
He urged media experts and practitioners to take advantage of the convergence and other opportunities to ensure the traditional media remained relevant.
Isah restated the importance of freedom of the press and urged the media to also embrace good corporate governance.
The NGE president expressed reservation with the way the federal government imposed some fines on media houses.
Earlier, Mr Lanre Idowu, NGE fellow and Chairman of the occasion spoke on the evolution of journalism in Nigeria and the birth of digital media.
Idowu enumerated changes by the online platforms and how the traditional media could still remain relevant with market shares without sacrificing ethics and professionalism.
“I have no doubt that there will be need for better and relevant training that will include more audience research and astute business management,” he said.
Also, Mr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director, International Press Centre in a goodwill message said that the journalism profession was a “continuous conversation” hence, the need for experts to speak up more against harsh regulatory policies.
Miss Maureen Chigbo, President, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers said that the workshop was timely.
She said it would address threats posed by citizen journalism taking over a large chunk of the media space.
Chigbo added that there was the need for media owners and practitioners to be proactive. (NAN)
NEWS
Board Sanctions 118 Immigration, Civil Defence Officers
The Board of NSCDC, Fire Service, Correctional, and Immigration Service, has approved the sanction of 118 personnel for various offences.
The Board Chairman, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known at the end of their meeting on Thursday in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo, who is also the Minister of Interior, told newsmen through the board Secretary, Alhaji Ahmed Ja’afaru, that the erring officers were punished after facing disciplinary panels for various offences.
“These offences range from misconduct, negligence of duty and outright absence from duty posts.
“In the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOs), there were 48 cases of offences, in the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), there were 21 cases.
“Also, in the Federal Fire Service (FFS) there were 12 cases while in the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), there were 37 cases,“the minister said.
Tunji-Ojo added that the board has reviewed and approved new guidelines for appointments, promotions, discipline and general purpose in the services.
He said that the board also considered and approved the timeline for the conduct of the 2024 promotion exercise in the four services.
“The board considered and approved the review timeline for the conduct of the 2023/2024 fire service recruitment.
“As for the ongoing recruitment in the fire service, we hope to publish the names of the successful applicants latest by June 15. That is where we are for now.
“We also want to use this medium to warn the general public to ignore whatever they have been seeing or hearing in the social media space as they did not emanate from the board.
“This is because, we have come to realise that the social media world had been awashed with fake news telling applicants to come for screening exercise or pay certain amount of money.
“Let me put it emphatically that the board is not asking anyone to pay money for recruitment.“
He urged applicants to be patient, saying successful candidates will be notified to come for further screening through their emails and mobile lines. (NAN)
NEWS
NSCDC Inaugurates Female Strike Force to Secure FCT Schools
The FCT Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Olusola Odumosu, has inaugurated the corps Female Strike Force to protect schools in the territory.
A statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Samuel Idoko, on Thursday in Abuja, said the inauguration followed the completion of a three day training for the personnel.
Odumosu said that the primary responsibility of the strike force was to ensure the safety of all schools in the territory.
He said that the training had equipped them with the needed skills and capabilities to carry out their duties.
According to him, the training is a follow up to the recent meeting of all FSF Unit Commanders with the Commandant General, Ahmed Audi.
Audi had charged them to be up and doing in view of the reported cases of kidnapping in some parts of the country.
“The training is imperative to ensure compliance with the CG’s directive on the mandate of securing schools for the safety of students and staff.
“Cases of abduction in schools must come to an end, that is the primary purpose of this training.
“We need to restore the confidence of the people in our ability to secure schools in the FCT,” the commandant said.
He therefore called on schools in the FCT to register with the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre, so that they could be added to the ecosystem.
Odumosu explained that the registration was free and meant to ensure better coordination and make responses to emergencies more quicker and efficient.
Odumosu assured that the training and retraining of the personnel would be held regularly to ensure prompt response to any security threat.
“We must make schools safe haven once again for children,” he added.
He charged the female strike force to conduct routine patrol and surveillance of schools to prevent threats and attacks.
He also enjoined the strike force to hold periodic security awareness and enlightenment talks for student and teachers.
Odumosu also directed the operatives to abide by the corps’ Standard Operational Procedure in discharging their duties and avoid over zealousness in the use of force or fire arms.(NAN)
NEWS
Tinubu Appoints Bello as new Chairman of CCB
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr Abdullahi Usman Bello as the new Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), pending confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.
This is contained in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Thursday in Abuja.
Ngelale said that Bello was a consummate professional with more than 25 years of work experience in consulting, banking, law enforcement, financial services and academia.
He said that the President anticipated the new Chairman would lead the Bureau with utmost integrity toward the realization of its mandate of maintaining high standards of public morality in the conduct of government business.
Ngelale said Tinubu expected the new appointee to ensure that the actions and behaviour of public officers conform to the highest standards of morality and accountability.(NAN)