By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
Mr Steve Salau fielding questions from participants at the end of his lecture.
A media consultant, Mr Steve Salau,has advised Journalists to develop inquisitive mind in tracking and reporting budget to ensure that the end result of such an exercise benefit the people maximally and boost good governance in Nigeria.
He gave the advice on Wednesday in Lokoja while delivering a lecture, entitled “Mainstreaming Budget in Story Writing” at a two-day training work organised by Stallion Times Times Media Services.
The workshop has as the theme:”Budget Tracking & Reporting” under Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve Project-GDRIP.
He reminded Journalists that some of the salient steps to take in reporting budget, to achieve the purpose intended, would be for them to exercise patient and read the document thoroughly to capture the news aspect of it.
“The Journalists also need to know that budget story comprises there stages: information, features( highlighting the gains and ills) and investigative.
“The three sections must be reported with the required deligence and expertise to attract the delight and appreciation of the reading public.
Salau further counselled the Journalists to write their story of the budget, using the concept of pyramid by starting from the most important aspect to the least.
“They must also start their budget report by identifying the location.of the project, the amount allocated for it and its benefits to the people on completion.
“All this they must do by interacting with the people the project is meant to benefit,set time to track and monitor the progress of work to ensure a rewarding budget to the people,”he said.
Effective tracking of budget; from process, procedure, formulation, planning down to implementation,he stressed, remained crucial in reporting budget to ensure good governance.
The media expert also urged the Journalists to share their findings with other media organizations in an acceptable format for wider publicity and appreciation by the general public.
Our Correspondent reports that the workshop, with more than 20 Journalists in attendance ends on Thursday.
