HON. JAFARU ASSURES SPORTS JOURNALISTS OF SEAMLESS WORKING RELATIONSHIP; HARPS ON PROFESSIONALISM.
By Amos Odhe.
Hon. Jafaru Ango, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nasarawa State, has called on Sports Journalists in the State to maintain high level of professionalism by being fair and objective in carrying out their task.
He made the call on Thursday in his office when members of the Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Nasarawa State Chapter, paid him a congratulatory visit.
According to the Commissioner, “A lot of people have negative perception about the Press and media people. And this is because most journalists don’t indulge in proper investigation and verification of information they get before making it public, and this is, indeed, bad.
“Learn to balance your stories so that we can be encouraged to do our best. We don’t need a bad Press because this is our State and this is our country. If we destroy it, where else do we have as our own?”
Jafaru expressed appreciation to members of the Association for the visit, and disclosed the Ministry’s willingness to work in unison with them to help promote activities of the Government.
He explained that he had enjoyed a healthy working relationship with members of the Press in the past and have made lots of friends in the industry who continue to aide his success story till date.
The Commissioner noted that his doors will always be opened to SWAN to enable it attain its set goals and objectives, stressing that the Government would continue to synergize with individuals and organisations that share mutually beneficial interest and aspirations.
Lending his voice earlier, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Chief Barr. Isaac Danladi, described members of the Association as sound and credible.
He assured that the previous requests made by the Association had been given the needed attention by the Ministry, particularly the increment of the monthly stipend allocated to the Association, inclusion in National Sporting Events, and being carried along in the activities of the Organisation.
While seeking the full cooperation of SWAN, Danladi highlighted some areas the Ministry had made tremendous achievements since the commencement of the second tenure of Governor Abdullahi Sule, especially the remodeling of the Youth Centre in Akwanga, and qualification of three team sports, namely Basketball, Hockey and Volleyball, of the State for the forthcoming National Youth Games in Asaba Delta State in September, 2023.
In his address, Chairman, SWAN, Nasarawa State Chapter, Comrade Isa Muhammad, said they were at the Ministry to congratulate the Commissioner on his recent appointment and assumption in office.
He thanked the Ministry for sending a powerful delegation to condole with him over the death of his wife.
Isa assured the Commissioner and entire Ministry of the full support of his members aimed at actualizing the mandates of both Organizations.
In offering the vote-of-thanks, Secretary of SWAN, Nasarawa State Chapter, Smah George, appealed to the State Government to fast-track the process of completing ongoing works on sporting facilities across the State and construction of new ones to reignite sporting activities and the discovery of hidden potentials in the State in line with the current administration’s mantra for youth and sports development.
