KANO SSG URGES JOURNALISTS TO DOCUMENT DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTE PEACE

The Secretary to the Kano State Government (SSG), Alhaji Umar Faruk Ibrahim, has urged journalists to sustain coverage of the state government’s development efforts while holding public institutions accountable.

Ibrahim made the call on Saturday at the 2026 retreat of the Kano Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna.

Represented by the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf, Mr Mustafa Muhammad, the SSG said journalists had a responsibility to inform citizens, scrutinise government policies and provide credible information on development programmes.

He urged journalists to go beyond reporting project commissioning to examine the quality, implementation, beneficiaries and impact of projects on communities.

Ibrahim said development reporting should not amount to government propaganda, but should involve independent and balanced assessment of policies and programmes.

He also urged journalists to maintain accuracy, fairness, impartiality and balance in their coverage of the 2027 general elections.

The SSG cautioned against reports capable of inflaming ethnic, religious, regional or political tensions, stressing that journalists should prioritise peace and public interest in their reportage.

“Election will come and go, but our beloved city of Kano will remain,” he said, urging journalists to promote peace and harmony despite political differences.

The retreat, with the theme, “2027 General Elections: Navigating Legal, Security and Ethical Challenges in the Media,” attracted journalists, political analysts, election stakeholders and other participants.