Maku describes Ministerial Platform as Government’s novel way for rendering accounts and stewardship

[The InfoStrides]

Labaran maku, the Information Minister has said that the Ministerial Platform is a novel programme designed for Ministers and heads of key Parastatals of Government to render account of their stewardship to the people on a multi-media platform which enables people to ask questions and make suggestions or comment on how the government is being run.

The Minister told PDP chieftains at a forum to address the National Working Committee of the PDP to present the mid-term scorecard of the Federal Ministry of Information, that the Ministerial Platform has transformed the nation's democracy by promoting healthy competition among ministers who are working hard to report positive achievements to the people.

Mr. Maku said within the period under review, the printing of Federal Government calendar and diary resumed with wider circulation to serve as veritable tools to market the transformation agenda and project the image of Nigeria at home and abroad.

While speaking on capacity building, the Minister stated that his Ministry is collaborating with agencies of Governments of the United States and Germany to train staff with a view to deepening their understanding of the working of the Freedom of Information Act, while the Nigerian Press Council, an agency of the Ministry, had sensitised 253 journalists across the country on the provisions of the Act.

Maku stated that Information Ministry designed special campaigns to promote the patronage of Made-in-Nigeria goods as a deliberate policy of stimulating economic growth and job creation as well as sensitization on environmental issues relating to drought and desertification and mobilization of all relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the Great Greenwall Programme in desert-prone States.

In his address of welcome, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur explained that the party decided to invite Ministers to render their scorecards to enable the party assess the implementation of its manifestoes by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

He described the media as very crucial to democracy particularly in informing the people on the activities of the political class, providing voice for those without access and defending the rights of individuals.

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