Yobe State Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, has charged government media aides to uphold truth, credibility and professionalism in public communication, warning against misinformation and reckless use of digital platforms capable of undermining peace and public confidence.
In a press statement signed by Ibrahim Baba Saleh the Media coordinator/liaison officer, office of SSG said, Governor Buni gave the charge on Monday in Kano while declaring open a two-day Media and Strategic Communication Workshop for over 150 media and photography aides serving in his administration.
Represented at occassion by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mohammed Goje, the Governor described media assistants as an important link between government, political leadership and the people, urging them to communicate government policies and programmes accurately and responsibly.
He cautioned against using communication platforms for insults, misinformation, character assassination, ethnic profiling, religious incitement and the deliberate spread of falsehood.
“Engage with facts, defend government with evidence, correct misinformation with civility and disagree without insulting,” Governor Buni urged, adding that government achievements should be communicated based on verifiable evidence rather than manufactured claims.
He also called on the participants to strengthen grassroots engagement by listening to citizens, explaining government programmes in languages they understand and engaging traditional and religious institutions, youth and women appropriately.
The Governor stressed that political communication should contribute to development and peaceful coexistence, particularly as the country approaches another electoral cycle.
“Our democracy must remain a contest of ideas,” he said, urging the media team to help protect the peace, unity and social cohesion of Yobe State.
He noted that the administration’s philosophy of Continuity, Consolidation and Transformation required consistent and effective communication, particularly in explaining its programmes and achievements to citizens.
The training, he added, should equip participants with improved skills in strategic communication, crisis communication, fact-checking, digital media management, photography, public engagement and peaceful grassroots mobilisation.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Hon. Abdullahi Bego, commended Governor Buni for investing in the continuous capacity development of his media aides.
Bego described the workshop as the second major capacity-building exercise organised for the Governor’s media team within one year, noting that the initiative reflected the administration’s commitment to strengthening professional communication.
He drew the attention of participants to the growing opportunities presented by social media, noting that digital platforms had become not only powerful tools for public communication but also viable avenues for entrepreneurship and livelihood.
The Commissioner urged the participants to acquire relevant digital skills and use social media strategically and responsibly to communicate government programmes and engage citizens.
In a goodwill message delivered virtually, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Religious Affairs, Ustaz Babagana Malam Kyari, urged the participants to exercise caution and responsibility in their use of social media.
He noted that content published on digital platforms could have significant consequences for individuals, government and society, stressing that every post, comment or message had the potential to either promote public good or cause harm.
Kyari therefore encouraged the media aides to ensure that their online communication promotes peace, unity, responsible citizenship and public understanding.
The workshop, themed “Digital Voices for Better Yobe: Mastering Social Media for Positive Impact,” was organised by the Office of the Secretary to the Yobe State Government for Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants and Technical Assistants on Media and Photography.
The event was attended by key government officials, including the Permanent Secretaries of the Administration and General Services Office of the SSG, Alhaji Modu, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Hajiya Salamatu Yahaya Nangere; Director-General, COYAPO; General Manager YOROTA, Babagana Alhaji Modu (Bature Goniri), CNA; Project Coordinator, Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons, Dr. Suleiman Dauda; Director of Information Services, Ali Musa Yawale; and the Focal Person to the Governor on Digital and Strategic Communication, Mal. Yusuf Ali, among other dignitaries.
Some of the distinguished Resource Persons who would present papers at the workshop include; Prof Mainasara Yakubu Kirfi and Prof Hajara Umar Sanda both from faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, Dr Abdulmattalib Ado Abubakar and Dr Musa Usman from faculty of Communication, University of Maiduguri, as well as Dr Aliyu Musa Bade and Dr Sani Garba Wakili from Yobe State University's Department of Computer Sciences and Political Science respectively
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