By Our Correspondent in Minna
Journalists in Niger state have expressed concern over their non inclusion in the documentation
and publication of the activitiess of Civil Society Organisations in the state, particularly the promotion of immunization and better nutrition.
They made their worry known during the ACOMIN Niger Q12 Advocacy Focused Media Briefing which took place at the Gidan-Matasa, Minna, Niger state capital on Wednesday.
The Journalists added that the impact of the activities of Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN) had not been felt by the people because the media was not carried along.
The Reporters, an online publication, reports that (ACOMIN) is a National Network of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working on the prevention, treatment and mitigation of the impact of malaria.
According to the media practitioners, the failure to involve them in the promotion of health and nutrition needs of citizenry had also created asense of doubt in the minds of some stakeholders, including support groups, who expected nothing short of transparency and accountability from the CSOs.
The journalists called on CSOs to check duplication of functions to encourage donor agencies willing to partner with the state government, in its developmental strides to do so.
One of the journalists, Dan Atori, said he was particularly worried that some CSOs always give a roll call of their community-based projects without visible evidence of such incentives either documented in picture or published in any newspaper or other media outfit
“Projects executed under such interventions are rarely seen or noticed, because the media is not carried along. Journalists’ involvement will not only guarantee transparency and accountability, but encourage more donor agencies to support the state in areas of need,”he said.
The District Head of Maikunkele, Alhaji Suleiman Abdullahi Dada, in a remark, commended the different CSOs in Niger state for support toward the development of rural communities across the three senatorial districts and called for more of such support.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the state Chairman of ACOMIN, Mr. Olasunkanmi Kalejaiye, said the event was to among others; to develop working relationship and linkages with media organizations in the state.
Kalejaiye called on the state government and local government councils to increase funding for activities aimed at checking malaria and introduce accountability and advocacy component of the projects to the media and benefiting communities.
