By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has begun plans to convert one of its abandoned broadcasting facilities at Abaji Area Council to a training centre for media practitioners.
Managing Director, Abuja Broadcasting Corporation Limited, Ibrahim Damisa gave the indication on Wednesday While interacting with members of FCT Minister’s Press Corps Corps.
Damisa said the management team of the station which is owned by FCTA has recommended to the minister, the need to convert the station’s abandoned facilities to a training centre where media practitioners’ capacity would be built through regular training.
He decried the damaging effects of fake news on the image of the country, as being promoted by citizen journalists on social media , even as he urged professional media practitioners to distinguish themselves and always be committed to the ethics of the profession.
“We are looking at how we can use our facilities at Abaji to build capacity for journalists, if our recommendations are accepted, we shall proceed to establish a training school there”, he said.
He attributed the rapid transformation in the station to the resolve of the Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello to revive all revenue generating agencies under his administration.
The MD equally reiterated commitment to the welfare of staff , which he said was utmost to the sustainability of the on going transformation.
He further called on policy makers to always recognise media practitioners as well as carry them along in policies implementation.
According to him, implementation of many of government’s policies fail, when the media is not properly incorporated into the processes and also empowered to bridge the communication gap between government and the people.
Damisa also explained that the backlash that followed the recent increments in electricity tarrif, petrol pump hike, even the subsidy removal was because the media were not recognised as a stabilising factor.
“you are the ones bringing the communication gap between the people and the government. When it comes to communications, journalists play a very good role, they play the role of preparing the minds of the people to be receptive to the policy implementation.
“When electricity tarrif was increased the journalists were not recognise, the journalists would have taken sensitization about the increment to the people.
In his remarks, the Chairman FCT Minister Press Corps, Comrade Ikharo Attah noted that what the media organisation have on ground, will compete very favourably with sister organisations both within and outside the FCT.
Attah, who was represented by his Vice Alhaji Hudu Yakubu said the visit was in recognition of the noticeable achievements in the media organisation.
