Kano state Commissioner of Information, Comrade Muhammad Garba says, the ministry would focus attention on capacity building of staff, as well as procurement of modern equipment according to international standards.
Comrade Muhammad Garba, made the indication shortly after defending the ministry’s 2023 proposed budget, before Kano state House of Assembly House Standing Committees on Information.
According to him, training and retraining of information officers, would enable them enlighten the public about the electoral process, as well as new equipment that were procured by the independent national electoral commission (INEC), for the smooth conduct of the 2023 general elections.
The commissioner maintained that, if passed the 2023 proposed budget would pave way for a strategic information conference on election reportage, upgrade and provision of modern equipment to the Kano state ministry of Information, as well as parastatals to enable them discharge their duties effectively.
He highlighted that, the budget had captured major areas that subsequent government would use without thinking of proposing a supplementary budget even after the elections.
“The Kano state ministry of information would continue to disseminate information as well as managing media activities in Kano state”
In his remarks, Chairman house standing committee on information, Alhaji Abubakar Danladi Isa Kademi said, Kano state ministry of information and its parastatals have successfully defended their 2023 proposed budget.
He stressed that, the committee is satisfied with the budget performance of the ministry in 2022, as it has achieved 70-80% releases.
Also speaking, deputy chairman of the committee, Alhaji Salisu Ibrahim Muhammad explained that, the peculiarity of the ministry’s 2023 budget is the strategic communication conference, scheduled to hold before the 2023 general elections.
He said, the conference would bring together, staff and management of Kano state ministry of information, and experts through paper presentations that would sharpen the skills of information officers on election reportage and comments.
Alhaji Salisu hinted that, Kano state house of assembly is proud to be part of the epoch making innovation, which is going to be the first of its kind.
He commended the state government for its commitment and support to the issue of information dissemination.
“The bilateral discussions were fruitful,one interesting thing is the issue of strategic information conference ,which is an avenue for information officers posted to various LGAs to come together as well as manangement and staff of the ministry to rub minds”
Other ministries and departments that have so far defended their budgets include, Kano state Radio Corporation, Kano state Ministry of Works, Kano state Ministry of Water Resources and Kano state Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) among others.
Khadijah Aliyu