By Maikudi Muhammad Marafa
The Kano State Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, has called on Information Officers deployed to Local Government Areas (LGAs), Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and Parastatals to redouble their efforts in effectively reporting government programmes, projects and policies.
The Commissioner made the call on Tuesday while presiding over an engagement meeting with Information Officers at the Ministry’s headquarters in Kano.
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Comrade Waiya disclosed that the Ministry is introducing new strategies aimed at strengthening information dissemination, particularly on government projects and programmes being implemented across the 44 Local Government Areas, with special emphasis on rural communities, as well as Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Parastatals.
He revealed that the administration of His Excellency, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, is currently executing more than 1,500 development projects across the state. According to him, about 750 projects have already been completed, while the remaining projects are at various stages of completion.
The Commissioner emphasized that Information Officers, as professionally trained communication personnel, have the responsibility of informing the public about government policies and achievements while also serving as a bridge between government and the people by communicating their needs and aspirations.
To enhance public awareness of government activities, Comrade Waiya announced the introduction of two additional weekly radio programmes dedicated to the activities of Local Government Areas and MDAs. He explained that the programmes would provide weekly updates on projects and activities carried out across the state.
He also announced that the Ministry is set to launch a monthly magazine that will comprehensively document the activities and achievements of Local Government Areas and MDAs. He, however, expressed concern that some Information Officers were yet to meet reporting expectations and urged them to improve their performance.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the Ministry is working to strengthen collaboration and unity among Information Officers to promote teamwork, professionalism and effective service delivery.
He reminded the officers that, regardless of their places of deployment, they all perform the same statutory responsibility as information managers. He therefore urged them to foster cordial working relationships and avoid unnecessary divisions.
Comrade Waiya also reaffirmed the Kano State Government’s commitment to enhancing the capacity of Information Officers through the provision of working tools, regular training opportunities and improved logistical support.
As part of measures to encourage excellence, he announced the reintroduction of a monthly performance reward system, under which the best-performing Information Officer will receive an award and a special gift in recognition of outstanding service.
In his remarks, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Kabiru Musa Sulaiman, urged Information Officers to remain punctual, committed and dedicated to their duties. He commended the Commissioner for introducing innovative initiatives that have significantly improved the performance of the officers.
Earlier, the Director of Information, Ameen Kabir Yassar, explained that the meeting was convened to identify and address challenges affecting the effective discharge of duties by Information Officers.
He noted that with the numerous developmental projects being executed across the state’s 44 Local Government Areas and MDAs, Information Officers have a statutory responsibility to keep citizens adequately informed about government activities.
“We are here to develop strategies that will enable us to reach more people and ensure that citizens remain well informed about the programmes and projects being implemented across Kano State,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, the Information Officers expressed appreciation to Commissioner Waiya for his unwavering commitment to repositioning and restructuring the state’s information dissemination system, describing the reforms as a significant step toward improving public communication and enhancing service delivery.
