No govt can survive without media support – Vatsa

The Niger State Government has declared its readiness to work with the media for the effective reportage of the state’s activities.

The Special Adviser to the government on media and strategy, Jonathan Vatsa, made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Minna.

Vatsa, during the visit, averred that no government can succeed without the support of the media.

While further highlighting the role of the media in Nigeria, he pointed out that smart leaders take the utmost advantage of the media to project their government and set a road map for their development

He also noted that the media can undo arrogant leaders.

“But for the vociferous campaign mounted by the Nigerian media, Obasanjo would have continued ruling the country beyond the eight-year period and the country would not have been enjoying the democracy it is enjoying today,” he said.

While admitting that there had been a wide gap between the government of Niger State and the media, especially the Correspondents Chapel who, he said, are major stakeholders, Vatsa said there was an urgent need to bridge that gap because “there is

no government that can succeed without the support of the media.”

The former Commissioner of Information Culture and Tourism further stressed the importance of the media to the success of any government or enterprise.

“They are the watch dog of the country” and “play very critical roles in informing and educating the people.”

Vatsa advised, “The political elite and especially political office holders should have a good relationship with the media. There should be no gap between politicians and the media.

“I want us to build on the already established relationship and see how we can further bridge the gap for a better and improved partnership,” he said.

The S.A Media and Strategy solicited the support of the residents of Niger State for the success of Governor Mohammed Bago, stressing that “Bago needs your prayers for him to get funds to execute all the projects he has started.”

Continuing, he added, “The media is very pivotal to us as a government, but we have not had that smooth synergy for some time now, hence the need to synergise in order to publicise the wide spread projects, activities and programs of the visionary leadership of Governor Mohammed Bago.”

Vatsa gave the assurance that he would furnish the governor with the outcome of the meeting, noting that, “from this moment, the governor will reignite the relationship between the government and the Correspondents’ Chapel so that government’s activities can get wider publicity as required.”

The Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Yakubu Bina, in his reaction, stressed that his  members were working for the interest of the state, contrary to how the chapel had been painted.

He assured the government offical of a cordial working relationship with the state government, insisting that members of the Chapel were not enemies of the government but thorough professionals.

The governor’s new media aide also made a similar visit to the Niger State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, where he described the media and journalism practitioners as lubricants of democracy.

He made this known during a courtesy call on the Chairman of the union, Abu Nmodu at the IBB Pen House, Minna where he solicited the support  of the practicing journalists in projecting the image of the Niger State government.

“We need the support of the media to tell the whole world about the New Niger Agenda and what the governor is doing in the ongoing agricultural revolution, transformation in education, health and so on,” Vatsa said.

In his remarks, Nmodu stressed the need for the government to enhance its relationship with journalists in the state, pointing out that they are the primary gatekeepers of the state.

He noted that the government needs to make adequate investment in the media and publicity.

As a result, he urged the government to invest in the state owned media outfits to enable them perform optimally.