FG Restates Commitment To Nation’s Transformation

The Federal Government, says it is resolutely committed to transforming the society by vigorously pursuing its priority programmes of development of infrastructure.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo stated this at the public presentation of Steering News Magazine and Exemplary Leadership Awards to distinguished africans at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

Sambo, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the Vice-President on Special Duties, Mr Isaiah Balat, urged the media to partner with the government in ensuring equitable distribution of social amenities to the people.

According to him, the mass media is a veritable tool of mass mobilisation and sensitisation, considering its past and present contributions to national growth and development.

He, therefore, enjoined journalists to always be development-oriented in their reports rather than being sensational, adding that they should continue to be partners in progress and report objectively, fairly and equitably.

“This will avail the society the opportunity to be the judge of the issues being presented before them rather than the journals,” he said.

Sambo commended the publisher and proprietor of the Power Steering Magazine, Oga Tom Uhia, for two years of journalistic exploits, describing the magazine as “one of contemporary magazines fast rising to meet the ever increasing needs of the Nigerian public.”

He congratulated the award recipients including the Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Alhaji Umar Sani.

He noted with delight that the award received by Sani was an indication that his constituency, and by extension the entire society, had recognised and appreciated his conduct.

He charged him to do more to propagate government’s policies, programmes and progress, as the implementation of the transformation agenda required adequate publicity.

“Government solicits the support and co-operation of all to ensure the realisation of these noble objectives,” he said.

Earlier, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, also an award recipient, in a presentation entitled : ‘Democracy, Justice in Nigeria  Matters arising,’ noted that democracy was expected to deliver on justice, fairness, equity and good life to the citizens.

Prof. Evans John Atta Mills, the President of Ghana, was among the recipients of the awards.