THE Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Friday, sought the support of indigenous newspapers in the Federal Government’s value re-orientation campaign and fight against corruption.
He made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to the country’s indigenous Iroyin Owuro and the Alaroye newspapers in Lagos.
He commended the indigenous newspapers for disseminating information to people who would have been left out in getting the news.
Mohammed urged the newspapers to disseminate Federal Government policies and programmes, particularly the value re-orientation campaign entitled “Change Begins With Me” to their huge readers.
He expressed government’s determination to bridge the communication gap between the government and the governed and stressed the need for a common platform toward achieving that.
“There are times when citizens don’t have the opportunity to understand government policies and programmes and don’t even know that such policies are for their common good and such situations creates a barrier between the two.”
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He explained that such disconnect could be used by mischievous people to carry wrong messages to the people.
The minister said that his visit was to make further consultation as he had met several stakeholders in the media industry.
He added that the visit was in double capacity as minister of information and that of culture, noting that as minister of culture, he would ensure that indigenous languages do not go into extinction.
“One of the mandates of the National Institute of cultural Orientation (NICON) is to ensure that local languages do not go into extinction,” he said.
The Managing Director of Alaroye Newspapers, Mr Alao Adedayo, said the visit was the first time the minister of information and culture would visit the company.
He thanked the minister for the visit, saying it was an indication of the determination to promote indigenous languages and culture in the country.
Mr. Akeem Lasisi, the Managing Director of Iroyin Owuro newspaper, said the company would support Federal Government in its value re-orientation campaign and the fight against corruption.