.Underscores importance of accurate data for development
.Urges management to invest on reporters, investigative journalism
Former Governor of Lagos State and Minister for Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has commended the publishers and management of the Daily Times titles for keeping the foremost surviving media platform in Nigeria alive, 93 years after it was established in 1926.
Fashola stated this in his Abuja office during a courtesy visit on him by the management of Folio Communications Plc, publishers of Daily Times newspaper.
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Noting that similar newspapers established in Nigeria about the same time with Daily Times have all gone extinct, Fashola said the paper has been a veritable institution for sound professional training in the rudiments of journalism and a platform for career building to generations of media professionals in Nigeria.
The Minister, who noted with nolstagia that his father was Advert Manager of the Newspaper decades ago, took time to address the many challenges facing the media in Nigeria and across the world.
He encouraged the management of Folio Communications Limited to recruit more of the experienced reporters and train the young ones in various aspects of journalism, especially investigative reporting, in order to ensure that Daily Times continues to maintain its reputation of balanced and factual news reporting.
He tasked the media in Nigeria to delve into deep data journalism and deploy research methodologies for accurate data collection and analysis that would go a long way in addressing the challenges of developmental policy formulation in the country.
“We need research, knowledge and data analysts to report factual information for developmental issues in the country,” the Minister stated.
While noting that figures on many developmental issues were not based on the right data, Fashola encouraged the Daily Times to invest in strong data collection and employ data analysts in order to carve a niche for credible and informed news.
The Minister said for the media to remain relevant, they must develop strong and credible data base from own online polls as well as from research from university campuses and international sites, adding that the world will be defined by digital technology and artificial intelligence.
Responding to question on recent cases of building collapse in the country, Fashola listed error of design; construction mistake or abuse; malpractice, improper soil test and abuse of law and order, as majorly factors responsible and enjoined the professional bodies in the sector to live up to expectation by sanctioning erring builders.
The Minister of State, Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, also blamed the activities of quacks in the building industry as responsible for building collapses. He pointed out that the purpose of any building, residential or commercial must always be stated at the onset before getting approval.
He explained that building for schools, disco halls and residential houses are completely different in design and structures, and whatever goes wrong should be the responsibility of the structural engineers who must ensure the building stands.
Earlier while stating the purpose of their visit, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Folio Communications Limited, Aliu Akoshile, said the new management was building Daily Times for tomorrow’s audience and has therefore activated all digital platforms necessary for the paper to take its pride of place in the media industry in Nigeria.
He said the management is prepared to partner with government to disseminate accurate information about its activities and developmental strides to the people as well as get the peoples’ feedback to government.
Akoshile said the new management of Daily Times under his leadership had re-positioned the newspaper’s digital platforms resulting in higher traffic and audience engagement which earned the paper an improved rating on Alexa Rank.
Apart from the Minister of State, Works and Housing, others who joined Fashola to welcome Folio Communications team were Hakeem Bello, Special Adviser, Communications, to the Hon. Minister and Salisu B. Haiba, Assistant Director Press, in the Ministry while those that accompanied Akoshile include Abdulrahaman Balogun, General Manager, Business Development, Bonaventure Melah, General Manager, Publications/Managing Editor, and Gbenga Adeosun, Advert Manager.
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