Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Tuesday assured the Association of Kano Online Journalists, ASKOJ, of support towards sanitizing journalism profession in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the Governor while playing host to the members of ASKOJ who were on courtesy call at his office, the Commissioner of Information, Halilu Baba Dantiye, said the new administration will support the association in all areas it requires interventions.
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Dantiye said the government will offer all the needed support to the association in fighting menace of fake news, urging the members to reciprocate such gesture with regular publicity of the government’s activities.
The Commissioner described the role of digital journalists in information dissemination as pivotal to the promotion of programmes of Kano State Government, adding that the Government of Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf has resolved to associate with ASKOJ and give it due recognition among committees of media associations in Kano.
Speaking further, Dantiye warned the association chaired by Yakubu Salisu to avoid distraction and pettiness from some members, saying that ASKOJ would be better a united association than operating as different camps.
While pledging to empower the association, the Commissioner added that individual members of ASKOJ, he knows personally, have achieved greatness on different grounds.
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The Director of Administration and General Services of the Ministry, Alh. Mustapha I. Baba, expressed excitement over the quality of representation and members of ASKOJ who he described as professional journalists in Kano.
In his reaction, Director, Revenue, Alh. Abdulhamid Sabo Maina, requested the support of ASKOJ for the Ministry’s efforts at building a data bank for the record of all journalists practising in Kano, adding that such record will facilitate means of identification and the communication between the Ministry and journalists.
Speaking earlier, the Acting Chairman of ASKOJ who led the delegation, Yakubu Salisu told the host that the purpose of the visit was to congratulate the Commissioner on his appointment and formally introduce the association to the Ministry for a sustainable symbiotic relationship.
Salisu informed the Commissioner that the association was born out of the need to tackle merchants of fake news and restore credibility to online journalism in the sate as well as an umbrella for it’s members.
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He added that members of ASKOJ are responsible and credible journalists whose media platforms are incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, assuring the officials of the Ministry of dealing with professionals with pedigree and understanding of ethics and values of journalism.
The delegation of ASKOJ was received by the Commissioner of Information and senior directors of the Ministry including the Permanent Secretary, Alh. Sani Bashir Yola, Director, Internal Affairs, Usman Bello and Director, Special Duties, Sani Abba Yola.
