The dissemination management of communications on the current state of insecurity, infrastructural development and economic growth of the President Muhammadu Buhari- led administration as it affects other federating units top agenda yesterday, at the meeting in Lagos of Progressive Governors Forum, (PGF), an umbrella body of All Progressives Congress (APC), governors, and information managers of APC governments.
The participants had in attendance, the host, Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed; Special Adviser to the President on Media, Mr. Femi Adesina and his counterpart from the office of the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande, while most of the governors attended via a virtual platform.
Others in attendance include members of the state Executive Council, Lagos, Information Managers of APC Government, and board members of the forum, General Managers of Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, Voice of Nigeria, VON, among few others.
In his keynote address, Titled: Contemporary Challenges of Information and Communication Management-Regulatory issues and Requirements, the information minister commended Sanwo-Olu, for graciously hosting the meeting.
“I commend the tenacity and commitment of the organisers, while hailing the patience of all those involved.”
Mohammed stressed that: “Perhaps the most daunting task anyone could take on, in this age and time, is that of information and communication management. It is even more daunting when you are engaged in information and communication management for a reformist government like ours.”
Speaking on the social media influence, Mohammed described it as a double-edged sword, providing opportunities and challenges perhaps in equal measure.
He continued: “For the information and communication manager, the so-called new media provides the ultimate test. As you all know, we recently had to suspend the operations of Twitter in Nigeria because of the threat posed by the gross abuse of the platform to the nation’s peace and unity.
“Twitter is the platform of choice for separatist campaigners, especially those of them residing outside the country, who use it to issue directives to their followers in Nigeria to attack our security forces as well as to burn police stations and INEC offices.
“It was a tough decision to take, considering that many of our youths also use the platform for business. Such is the challenge posed by social media. At its request, the government has agreed to engage with Twitter and, hopefully, we can both chart a path forward, without compromising our national interest. While many have accused us of stifling the press with the ban, we say Twitter is just one of many social media platforms being used by Nigerians. WhatsApp, which is most used by Nigerians, is there. And there is Facebook, Instagram, Google hangout, among others.
“Leveraging the new information and digital technology will undoubtedly facilitate our work as government information and communication managers.
“The multiplicity, immediacy and pervasiveness of the platforms of information dissemination mean that we can reach more people much faster.
“Ordinarily, that should be a good thing. But when you remember that those who are trying hard to distort the information you are putting out also have access to the same technology, you will realize the meaning of the paradox of technology that I spoke about earlier.
“In other words, the democratization of the technology of information dissemination is posing new challenges to us. Anyone can wake up this morning and decide to become an online newspaper publisher, online television station owner, online radio station operator.
“They spread whatever information that catches their fancy without engaging in the rigours of accuracy, fact-checking and fairness imposed by the traditional media.
“But there is another problem: They have their own public, and this public believes whatever information they put out! The traditional media is now increasingly regurgitating whatever is put out by these emergency purveyors of information to worsen matters”.
