By Rasaq Adebayo
Lagos State Government has pledged to reinforce its partnership with the community media and render the needed support to the practitioners to make the grassroots media more functional and active.
The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said this while receiving members of the Association of Practitioners of Community Media (APCOM), who visited him in his office in Tuesday to push continued engagement with the State Government.
The Commissioner admitted that Community Media platforms particularly newspapers are major outlets for news across the globe, stating that funding has been a major impediment to the success of Community Newspapers.
He said only few Community Newspapers have been able to sustain themselves through creative ingenuity.
Omotosho, therefore, urged APCOM members to be up and doing and never relent in their struggle.
He said: “It is good that this meeting happened today. Community Journalism is what I like to discuss most times. The government will surely work with your members.
“We know you are closer to the people at the grassroots and you are playing a vital role serving as the voice of the people and watchdog in your various communities.”
The APCOM team, led by its National President, Abayomi Adejumo, said the visit was an opportunity to discuss participatory journalism in communities as a means to advancing democratic benefits to the citizens.
In his remarks, the APCOM National President, Abayomi Adejumo, disclosed that funding has been a major bottleneck to the consistent publishing of Community Newspapers, saying: “This constraint has not deterred some of its members from serving the information needs of their respective communities.”
He also sought the support of the Ministry for the association’s programmes and projects lined up for execution.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner was inducted as an Honorary Patron of the Association of Practitioners of Community Media in Nigeria.
The association’s acting Public Relation Officer (PRO), Kolawole Oloyede of AgegeTv Online, who gave vote of thanks appreciated the Commissioner for his kind gesture and for giving the association the audience.
Oloyede expressed optimism that the meeting would serve as the beginning of a healthy and symbiotic relationship between the Lagos State Government and the Association.
He assured the Commissioner of continuous professional conduct of its members and commitment towards the development of communities across Lagos State and Nigeria at large through the effective dissemination of factual information.
At the visit, the Commissioner was also joined by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Olumide Sogunle, the Director of Public Affairs Adesegun Ogundeji and other members of Staff.
Other Community media Practitioner present was Mr. Wale Adeleye of Grassroot Times.
