GOCOP occupies special place in new media - Lai Mohammed

ITRealms:

… As FG launches ‘Change Begins with me’ campaign

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that online publications under the aegis of Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) occupies special place in new media, just as his ministry on Monday unveiled 'Change begins with me’ campaign as part of reorientation strategy, reports ITRealms.

Speaking at a media parley in Lagos with the online publishers, Mohammed also said that the Federal Government led by President Mohammadu Buhari has no intension to regulate the online industry.

According to him, time has gone when people have to wait for the next day to get updates and today online publishers even deliver news via emails, “so we may not need to wait and visit your website to get updates.”

He urged the publishers to maintain their credibility, saying ''If the online publications suffer credibility problems, they stand the risk of losing the confidence of their readers and the advertisers who provide the lifeblood for the publications' survival.''

Mohammed pointed out that while the number of online publications is bound to grow in the days ahead, only the credible ones will continue to enjoy patronage, either from the readers or from the advertisers.

Equally, he noted that its in the interest of government that online publications continue to grow in number ''because the more the number of such online publications, the easier it becomes to bridge the information gap between the government and the governed, and the easier it becomes for the government to carry the citizens along in the formulation and implementation of policies that touch on their lives.

He further promised that the Federal Government would patronize the online publications through adverts, asserting ''All we ask for, in return, is that you provide accurate information to the people, and avoid sensationalism and partisanship.''

He also sought the publishers support to ensure the success of the various campaigns that have either being launched or are about to be launched by the Federal Government.

''The National Security Awareness Campaign, aimed at rallying the support of Nigerians for the war on terror, is ongoing. Also, the National Sensitization Campaign against Corruption was formally launched in Abuja on Monday, and it is aimed at rallying Nigerians against the cankerworm of corruption which has eaten deep into the fabric of our society. We are also preparing to launch a National Re-orientation Campaign, which is tagged 'Change begins with me,' to achieve a paradigm shift in the way we do things,'' Alhaji Mohammed said.

He described the war against corruption as one of the cardinal programmes of the Buhari administration, asserting that ''Some have said the government is dwelling too much on the war against corruption to the detriment of other areas of governance. Our response to that is that indeed, there is nothing like dwelling too much on this war, which is a war of survival for our nation.

“The situation is grim, very grim indeed, as far as corruption is concerned. That is why the Federal Government is embarking on this sensitization campaign our approach is not to vilify anyone but to use facts and figures to give Nigerians a sense of the cost of corruption,” the Minister explained.

 

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FG punishing Bayelsa with denial of bailout funds – Dickson’s Aide

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The Bayelsa State Government has alleged that the Federal Government is penalizing the oil-rich state with denial of bailout funds worth N1.3 billion, reports ITRealms.

Chief Press Secretary Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said in a press statement made available to ITRealms, expressing displeasure over the non-release of the bailout fund of N1.3 billion it requested from the Federal Government to enable it clear the backlog of salaries of local government workers in the state.

He said the State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (retd), made the submission during the inauguration of Establishment (civil Service), State Pensions and Local Government committees in Yenagoa.

Jonah, who observed that, the amount was the least among the states that applied for the fund wondered why Bayelsa was yet to benefit from the facility.

He appealed to the Federal Government to come to the aid of the state by ensuring that, the bailout is released to alleviate the plight of local government workers, as revenues accruing to the state are no longer adequate to augment their salaries.

Addressing chairmen and members of the various committees, the Deputy Governor gave an 11-point terms of reference to the local government committee, which include to determine actual staff number in the original 8 local government councils in 2007 and the related wage bill.

He also charged the local government committee to review the salary structure of the councils and rural development authorities, as well as physically identity the staff in their payroll as at December 31, 2015.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Pix: Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (retd)

Bayelsa Speaker, Benson denies stepping down, says ‘I’m still in charge’

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Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Konbowei Friday Benson has denied stepping down, insisting ‘I’m still in charge’ reports ITRealms.

Hon. Benson on Thursday in Yenagoa dismissed reports that he had since stepped down following the judgment of the Appeal Court in Port Harcourt, insisting that he remains the Speaker of the Assembly and member representing Southern Ijaw Constituency 4.

He also said sufficient proofs‎ exist that the judgement for that day was delivered in his favour.

The lawmaker stated that there was no enrolment order from the court asking him to vacate his seat or for reason of a different thing that was said in the court as has happened, neither was there an order that he should meet the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a different date of election.

"INEC has not informed me of any notice of enrolment or whatever that they have also received. There is nothing," he said.

Benson described the alleged judgment against him as just a purported claim by a party with the intention to cause confusion.

 

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SGF office to tap into IoD training programmes

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The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engineer BabachirDavid Lawal has assured the Governing Council of the Institute of Directors (IOD) that his office would avail itself of the training programmes of the Institute in the drive to build the human resource capacity of the Civil Service, especially at the senior management level, reports ITRealms.

Lawal said this while addressing the council during a courtesy call, enjoining them to design courses that will develop participants while on the job and also in retirement. 

The SGF noted that the institute has been involved in the training of members of the Armed Forces and advised that they should also design programmes that will benefit top officials of government in revenue generating agencies such as Customs and Excise and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

President and Chairman of Council, Institute of Directors, Mr. Yemi Akeju, in his remarks, said the purpose of the visit to include the desire of the Institute to partner with the federal government to promote corporate governance values that will reduce corruption and also assist government to review policies through well researched views and opinions.

Mr. Akeju also used the occasion of the visit to inform the SGF about the official adoption of a new IOD’s Independent Director’s Scheme. 

He said these Independent Directors could play vital roles on boards of public and private sector organisations and pledged to make the register of Independent Directors available for the use of the federal government. 

 

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