Editors urge governors to emulate Bello on media empowerment

Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has asked other state governors to emulate Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State in the area of media empowerment.

The President, NGE, Mustapha Isa, commended the Kogi governor for his efforts at enhancing the capacity of journalists and empowering them to understand their immediate environment with a view to delivering their job professionally. 

He said this, yesterday, when the Executive Committee of the Guild visited him at the Kogi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. Making reference to the recent Annual GYB Workshop for Crime and Political Correspondents and Editors, where journalists were awarded after series of training and newsroom exercises, he said the development was the first of its kind in the political scene.

On insecurity in the country, Isa said Bello’s involvement of the people of Kogi in crime-fighting made the state a reference point in terms of the war against crime and all forms of criminality. 

“Involving the locals in the fight against crime is the way to go. Kogi is bordered by about 10 states, but the governor has been able to tame crime. Things have changed under him. This is the reason response to crime is always quick and effective, even where there is an incidence,” he said.

The NGE president added: “I was at the opening ceremony of the Annual GYB Workshop for Political and Crime Correspondents in Abuja. I saw the layout of the programme, quality of trainers and programmes, and can only thank you on behalf of my colleagues for that wonderful initiative. 

“We call on other governors to emulate this and also help enhance capacity in the Nigerian media industry. This would do nothing but help the country achieve its growth objectives better, with informed and standard reportage.”

Responding, Bello thanked the president of the guild for appreciating his “little” contributions and promised to make the empowerment programme a regular event.