Date: 2010-12-22

The Kwara State Governor, Dr Bukola Saraki  has challenged media practitioners in the country to be more accurate in their reports and abide by the ethics of the profession to further strengthen the nation’s democracy. 
 
The Governor made the charge in Lagos while receiving an ‘Award of Excellence’ in food security from the National leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). 
 
Dr Saraki, who described journalists as the pivot of any sustainable democracy, assured that government would be more committed towards ensuring free and fair election next year. 
 
He noted that the country could only be self sustaining if all tiers of government corporate organizations and affluent individuals were committed to agriculture. 
 
According to him, poultry and rice production could account for as much as 42% of the Country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if priorities were given to them. 
 
The Governor solicited the support of the media in ensuring that the Federal Government rescind its decision in the lifting of ban on the importation of cassava to facilitate local processing of the product in the country. 
 
The development he said would save the country’s foreign exchange earnings and lauded the Governors for ensuring that obnoxious sections in the amended Electoral Act were expunged. 
 
On the forthcoming general election, he appealed to journalists to sensitize the people on the need to participate in the voter’s registration exercise, saying the media has a great role to play in this direction. 
 
Earlier, the National President of NUJ, Malam Garuba Mohammed said the Award of Excellence bestowed on Dr Saraki was in recognition of his tremendous contribution to agriculture, food security and agro-allied industries in the country. 
 
Malam Mohammed explained that the NUJ was impressed with the commercial agriculture initiative of the governor in Shonga and called on other States of the federation to emulate the model. 
 
The NUJ National Preident described as barbaric the action of some security agents in harassing journalists and vandalizing their gadgets during election. 
 
This ugly development he observed could be attributed to the desperation of some selfish politicians and called for a reverse of the trend as the country prepares for another round of election to enhance the success of the forthcoming general elections. 
 
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Lagos State Council of the NUJ, Malam Abdul Wahab Oba challenged the nation’s security agents to bring to book perpetrators of electoral fraud to serve as deterrent to others. 
 
He noted with delight that the NUJ was impressed with the performance of Governor Saraki and assured that the union would always keep its eyes on the activities of those in positions of authority to make them be alert to their mandates. 
 
Mas’ud Adebimpe
Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor
22/12/2010