By Saminu Ibrahim
The Nigerian government is underutilising the social media, especially in the area of reportage, a federal lawmaker, Honourable Kwamoti Laori has said.
Hon. Kwamoti Laori representing Numan/ Demsa/Lamurde Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives made this known on Tuesday when he bagged an award of “Icon of Transformation” presented to him by National Assembly New Media Forum (forum of Online Journalists).
Indeed, Laori urged the Nigerian Government to make maximum use of the social media to explain its policies and programmes to the people for peaceful coexistence and rapid development.
The lawmaker described social media practitioners as agents of change, adding that the government is underutilising the social media, especially in the area of reportage.
He said the award will spur him to do more, saying his office was open at any time for the media to either ask questions, for clarifications or areas you think I should improve, and I will be willing and ready to listen”.
“If the government has been up and doing and optimizing your work properly, there are lots of government policies and programmes that can easily be sent to the people and people will be well informed. For instance, this era of Covid-19 pandemic where there are conflicting reports and sceptism about the disease and even the vaccine, I think this is the area the government needs to utilize the expertise and professional prowess of online media to the fullest to achieve the desired results.
“I know that you people are doing onerous task which sometimes is not much appreciated, but I’m telling you today that you are agents of change; you are the social drivers.
“We are in this digital age now where the social media is the in thing and most of the young people today hardly go in to pick any document or paper to read. They find it very easy in the palm of their hands, they can use their handset, palm top, laptop to access all the information they need in the world.
“Being agents of social drive, I will plead with you that you have to maintain the tempo and ensure that the negative toga that is being thrown at social media is done away with. I so much believe being the watchdog of society and the fourth estate of the realm, you have a big responsibility to keep the society informed and also get feedback from the society so that the government can listen.
“In this business, if you don’t have an open mind and you cannot take criticism, you don’t need to come in here because you won’t go far. It will be the proverbial living in a glass house. You cannot throw stones without receiving some knocks as well.
“I hope we will be partners in progress for the development of our country. I assure you, all my performance will now have to double because I now believe that I’m now on a radar” Laori added.
Also speaking, the Chairman of National Assembly New Media Forum, Comrade Yemi Itodo, said the Online media in Nigeria is capable of changing the negative narratives about the country, adding that the award followed Honourable Laori’s efforts at the House of Representatives.
