Benjamin Omoike l Tuesday, July 30, 2019
LAGOS, Nigeria – Lagos state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described members of the fourth estate of the realm as not only pivotal to the actualisation of the dividends of democracy but also a group which should be embraced by any responsible sitting government.
Sanwo-Olu made the remark on Tuesday while addressing the Governor’s Office Press Crew when, as part of his tour of some government agencies, he paid a courtesy call to the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, situated within the premises of the Lagos State Government Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja.
According to him, due to the critical role of the media in reportage of government activities to the people, and the importance of communication – which is a two-way thing – in this day and age, any government without the media, is on a journey to nowhere.
He stressed that the relationship between the government and the media should be a symbiotic one.
“First and foremost, let me express my profound gratitude to you members of the fourth estate of the realm for your support to this government since its inception. Today makes it 61 days since this adminstration kicked off.
“So, it is only sensible for us to visit you on the first day of the commencement of our third month in office. On behalf of my brother, the Deputy Governor, with whom I started this journey together, we wish to say a big thank you to you all. Also, I believe I speak the mind of all of those in our government in showing our appreciation.
“Having said that, let me implore you to continue to work with us with the highest level of professionalism, joining hands with us to serve Lagosians better. Communication is key and getting the right reports to the people is also vital. Without this, the entire purpose of all the good works we’re doing, would have been defeated. As I said earlier, any government that does not work closely with the media would have succeeded in embarking on a journey to nowhere,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said he understood some of the challenges facing the media and that he was ready to partner with them and in ensuring that they had, under his administration, a pedestal upon which they could express themselves accordingly.
In areas of support in terms of possible trainings and provision of relevant work tools, he assured the crew that though he could not make any promises, however, before the end of the year, there would be noticeable improvement.
The governor concluded by stressing that being in government was a privilege and that, he and his cabinet saw their being in the position they were today, as an opportunity to rewrite history and leave a mark in the sands of time. He said their sincere desire is to serve to the best of their abilities.
He added that government was about the people and their welfare. As such, he said, the governed remained top priority for him.