The Niger Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, was praised by the House of Representatives Press Corps on Friday for providing members of the Corps with a training opportunity to improve their skills in parliamentary reporting.
When introducing a three-day training workshop that the governor organized, the chairperson of the press corps, Grace Ike, claimed it was exceptional because it was the first such training that a governor had organized since 1999.
She also praised the governor for his efforts to advance the state’s citizens.
“I want to specially appreciate His Excellency, Rt Hon. Mohammed Bago, the Executive Governor of Niger state, the Power State for this rare privilege to host the Press Corps to a training workshop. I want to place it on record that since 1999, no governor and particularly, any former member of the House who became governor of a state has had the courtesy to host the Press Corp to a training workshop. This is the first of its kind. It is not an indictment but it is a fact. Your Excellency, we are grateful!
“Your Excellency, with this honour and privilege you have accorded the largest Press corps in Africa, I wish to state that our prayers are with you to succeed as governor and of course, you will rule for two terms and after that Insha Allah, when the Presidency returns to the North in 2027, it is our collective prayer that the baton will fall on your shoulders. Can I hear a loud amen”, she said.
She said, the media plays a significant role in the development of the society, adding that any public or elected official who knows his or her onions and wants to succeed always courts the media “because no matter how well you perform, if the media does not tell your story, you achievements will remain elusive and anonymous.”
The chairperson said the Press Corps had followed the governor’s trajectory right from the House of Representatives before becoming governor, saying he has remained a friend of the media, urging him to sustain the tempo.
She said,
“You have been the friend of the media; you have been a performer and an achiever; we have followed your spirit of resilience and your obsession for excellence and we believe the people of Niger state never made a mistake in electing you as their governor. In the few months you have been on the saddle the difference is clear. You have charted a new course for the state and we urge you not to give up.
“Being a transformative leader, you have keyed into the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration and in a few days you will be hosting the first summit on the Green Economy. This is indeed novel in this part of the world and it is an indication that you are at home with contemporary developmental issues because climate change is a huge issue today globally.”
She also lauded the governor’s commitment to addressing the issues of security and climate change which she said had impacted on the lives of people in so many ways.
The Press Corps chair particularly lauded the upcoming Green Economy Summit being put together by the governor next week, saying, such programme and policies will boost the economy of the state and help mitigate the effects of climate change on our world.
“It is, therefore, my our responsibility as journalists, especially as parliamentary reporters, to communicate these policies effectively to the public, as well as communicate the feedback of the people to the government. That way, the government and the people can be on the same page on the various climate change policies of the government.
“The Niger State Green Economy Summit, which is scheduled to hold next week is here. While other states are lamenting about the effects of climate change, our dear governor is taking laudable steps to effectively position Niger State with the Green Economy initiative. More grease to your elbow, our dear governor.
“Your innovative ideas in the area of economy and security have caught our attention and it is in view of this that in the course of this programme, we shall be conferring on you the honour of the Most Innovative Governor in Economy and Security Issues”, she said.
She charged members of the Press Corps to utilize the opportunity presented by the training to boost their professional capacities in reporting issues.