By Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has challenged media practitioners to move beyond merely publicising government activities and embrace digital tools to deepen communication, understand citizens’ concerns and drive meaningful community engagement.
The governor made the call on Saturday while declaring open the one-day Yobe Media Summit at the NEDC Conference Hall, Government Girls’ College (GGC), Damaturu.
The summit, themed “Harnessing Digital Tools for Community Impact and Engagement,” brought together about 400 mainstream and social media practitioners from across the state.
Participants drawn from the 17 Local Government Areas of Yobe State included journalists, social media practitioners, representatives of major media organisations, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the communication industry.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Mohammed Goje, Governor Buni said the rapid growth of digital technology had fundamentally changed the way citizens access information and interact with government.
He urged media aides and communication professionals to see themselves as a critical bridge between the government and the people, stressing that their responsibility goes beyond writing press releases or managing official social media platforms.
According to him, effective public communication must be anchored on truth, accuracy and the ability to explain government policies in ways that promote understanding and strengthen public confidence.
“Digital platforms should not simply become places where government speaks; they should enable us to listen, understand public concerns, provide accurate information and create meaningful interactions between government and communities,” the governor said.
Buni further encouraged media practitioners to deploy digital platforms strategically in communicating issues affecting the people, particularly in areas such as education, healthcare, agriculture and youth empowerment.
Highlighting some achievements of his administration over the past seven years, the governor cited the expansion of educational opportunities for more than 48,000 students, improvements in healthcare infrastructure, construction of over 500 kilometres of roads and various empowerment initiatives targeting women and young people.
He, however, stressed that the media should not stop at announcing such projects.
Rather, he said journalists and government media personnel should tell the stories of how the projects and programmes are changing lives and transforming communities.
Buni also called for greater sector-specific knowledge among journalists, saying practitioners must understand the issues affecting the communities they report about in order to accurately communicate both government achievements and challenges.
He urged participants to engage directly with different groups, including farmers, traders, women and youths, noting that their experiences and perspectives could provide valuable information for shaping government policies and interventions.
The governor expressed optimism that the summit would strengthen the capacity of media practitioners to use modern communication technologies responsibly and effectively.
The summit is being coordinated by the Office of the Secretary to the Yobe State Government and facilitated by the Yobe State Ministry of Home Affairs, Information and Culture.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, urged participants to put the knowledge and skills acquired during the summit into practical use.
Bego said the lessons from the event should translate into improved professional performance and enable media practitioners to make greater contributions to both society and government.
The one-day summit is expected to provide participants with practical insights into emerging digital communication tools and strategies for improving government-community relations in Yobe State.
About The Author
