Utilise virtues of your media aides, Senate spokesperson tells politicians

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

Politicians in the country have been urged to positively utilise the image making virtues of their media aides.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru gave the admonition while declaring open a Two-Day Capacity Building Workshop for Media Aides to Principal Officers and Information Personnel of the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday.

He advised that media aides are image makers, hence should not be expected to attack imaginary or real political opponents. He warned the political class not to reduce their media aides to tools to further their political interests.

The Senator representing Osun Central senatorial district said politicians should acquaint themselves with the important nature of the job description of media aides.

Ajibola said, “It is high time we realize that media aides have so much to offer if we allow them to function strictly within the context of their engagement and that the political class should not turn media aides to attack dogs that are let loose on others which may not be in sync with their point of view or even of different political inclinations.”

Harping on the important role of media assistants, he said “undoubtedly, media aides are stabilising factors in the polity, they have the onerous task of mitigating tension in the society through their releases on behalf of their principals.

The political class must accept the fact that media aides have so much contribute in the area of mitigation of societal tensions in all ramifications if allowed and given the necessary support.

“I must appreciate our Media Aides for being the catalyst for the relative peace, integration and cooperation being currently witnessed by the Ninth Assembly and the Executive. This is because of the professionalism and astuteness of purpose of the media aides here seated. I implore you to please not rest on your oars.”

Senator Basiru stated that the role of media aides is rooted in journalism and a fact that cannot be denied is that the country needs viable and well-informed media personnel as intermediaries between the government and the governed.

He also reiterated that media aides are, by the very nature of their job schedule, the repository of the “secrets” of their principals and that their job schedule cuts across policy making and projection of their principals’ images, according to him, their roles are more sensitive than those of other aides because they are the mirror through which their principals are assessed by the public.

The Senate Spokesperson admonished the participants at the Workshop to be very wary of “journalists” performing their duties and always allow caution to their watchword when they are fielding questions from journalists, particularly on issues that may likely involve their principals.

The lawmaker implored participants to key in on the benefits of the workshop as it would increase their knowledge, enhance quality of job and broaden their exposure to new areas and best practices in journalism.