Yobe State Government Gears Up Media Professionals for Modern Journalism, Announces Plans for New TV Station
Yobe State Government Gears Up Media Professionals for Modern Journalism, Announces Plans for New TV Station
By Yusuf Bukar Biriri
The Yobe State Government is investing in its media landscape and workforce, hosting a three-day workshop in Kano for over 100 journalists and media executives, on data analysis, risk management, multimedia journalism and others.
The training, themed “The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Democratic Governance and Contemporary Issues in the Development of Yobe State,” aims to equip media professionals with crucial skills for the evolving media environment.
Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, emphasized the importance of data analysis and multimedia skills, particularly with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
He urged journalists to embrace these new trends to remain relevant in the industry. He stated that the workshop, initiated by the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni, provides an opportunity for NUJ executives to enhance their understanding and improve their professional capabilities.
Commissioner Bego highlighted the significant achievements of the Buni administration across various sectors, including education, healthcare, and media. In the media and information sector, the government has renovated the NUJ secretariat, trained information and PR officers, upgraded the Yobe Broadcasting Corporation (YBC) studios and transmission capacity, and converted casual staff to permanent employees.
Furthermore, YBC programmes are now available 24/7 online. A key announcement from the Commissioner was the government’s plan to establish a new state television station to replace the outdated equipment and infrastructure of the current YTV.
Commissioner Bego also detailed the government’s progress in other sectors:
Education: New schools have been constructed and existing ones rehabilitated; teaching and learning conditions have been improved; thousands of teachers have been recruited; and student feeding programs are sustained. Over 40,000 students have benefited from scholarships and the payment of examination fees.
Healthcare: A 370-bed capacity hospital is under construction. Free kidney dialysis is being provided, and research on kidney diseases has been initiated at the biomedical science research and training centre at Yobe State University. 143 new Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) have been built or renovated across the state’s 17 local government areas, with more than 2,000 medical personnel recruited.
Read Also: Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule Arrives in Luanda, Angola,…
The administration offers free antenatal care and free treatment for children under five and received an award for excellence in primary healthcare services in the North-East sub-region.
Commissioner Bego described the Buni administration as youth-friendly and inclusive, noting its policies have strengthened democracy and good governance.
The workshop included insightful presentations. Dr. Kole Shetima, Honorary Special Advisor on Policy to Governor Buni, spoke on journalism practice in Nigeria, emphasizing opportunities for career development and the need for multi-platform storytelling, safety consciousness, and ethical resilience.
Other resource persons included Professor Danjuma Gambo of the University of Maiduguri and Comrade Ahmed Mohammed Bedu, who discussed journalism ethics, professional conduct, and the history of the NUJ
