MacArthur Foundation renew support for gender inclusion, fight against corruption in Nigeria

Unveils multi-million dollars digital television at Bayero university

President of MacArthur Foundation, Mr John Palfrey said the organisation has renewed its commitment towards sustaining support on gender inclusiveness and strengthening intervention on fighting corruption in Nigeria.

Palfrey gave the assurance yesterday, at the Bayero University, Kano, while commissioning the multi-million dollars digital television station funded through MacArthur Foundation intervention.

The president of the US-based international support foundation, emphasised effective deployment and use of mass media channels to achieving justice and democratic governance globally.

He reiterated focus to continuous support, especially on female gender in capacity building and training of journalism to build gender sensitivity in the country.

While unveiling the new digital TV, Palfrey urged the university to complement the multi-million dollars intervention with sustainable investment in cyber space technology, to enable global viewers with clear visibility to the new television station.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State, Professor Umar Pate, reminded that Bayero university has secured over $2.5 million from MacArthur Foundation from 2017 to strengthen capacity for training and research on investigative and data journalism.

Professor Pate who doubles as convener and facilitator of MacArthur intervention at Bayero University, also applauded the support of the foundation on the revised and unbundled of the National Curriculum of Mass Communication in Nigeria’s universities.

According to him, the conscious impact of the intervention has led to unbundled of Mass Communication into nine additional courses in the training of communication. Professor Pate said the nine courses have already been approved by the Federal government to run in 200 higher institutions in the country.

Apart from the unprecedented stride on the Mass Communication curriculum, Professor Pate revealed that the foundation has facilitated scholarship award of 221 undergraduate and postgraduate female students, as well as teachers of Communication in research, conference, thesis support and stipend.

Professor Pate said the new digital BUK TV equipped with the state of the art sophisticated facility equal to global TV standard, would soon be connected directed to satellite cable for global viewership.

Chief host and Vice Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano, Professor Adamu Sagir, hailed the support of MacArthur Foundation in the university while pledging to ensure maximum utilisation of the facility for academic excellence.