The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Public Enlightenment, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, on Monday unveiled a Federal Government project awareness campaign aimed at showcasing key development projects across Northern Nigeria.
Abdulaziz unveiled the initiative at the maiden Arewa Media Summit in Kano, themed “Government, Citizens: Accountability, Responsibility and Ethical Media Practice,” saying it was designed to strengthen engagement among government, citizens and the media through accountability, transparency and responsible communication.
He said the campaign would also provide citizens with firsthand information on projects and interventions being implemented by the Federal Government and state governments across the region.
The presidential aide stressed the need for journalists and social media influencers to uphold ethical standards by promoting factual, balanced and accurate reporting.
According to him, responsible communication is essential to effective governance and national development.
Abdulaziz cautioned social media influencers against disseminating unverified information, warning that misinformation and false narratives could deepen divisions, especially as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
He disclosed that more than 100 All Progressives Congress (APC) social media communicators had been trained ahead of the summit to enhance their capacity to effectively communicate government policies, programmes and achievements.
The presidential aide also unveiled the Gani Ya Kori initiative, a regional project inspection tour expected to showcase major projects executed by President Bola Tinubu and governors across Northern Nigeria.
“The initiative will help ensure that citizens are adequately informed about development projects and government interventions across the region,” he said.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, urged journalists and social media influencers to deny bandits and terrorists the publicity they seek.
“The media has an indispensable role in denying violent extremists the publicity they seek while promoting unity, resilience and hope,” Idris said.
He observed that while digital technology had expanded access to information, it had also accelerated the spread of fake news and disinformation capable of undermining national unity and public confidence.
According to him, democracy flourishes when the government remains transparent, citizens participate responsibly, and the media performs its constitutional role with professionalism, fairness and integrity.
Declaring the summit open, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf called on other states to emulate Kano’s Special Reporters Initiative.
He said the initiative had deployed more than 150 young people to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as the state’s 44 local government areas, to strengthen government communication and public enlightenment.
The summit attracted journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, digital content creators, academics, policymakers and communication professionals from across Northern Nigeria.
