Community Media Practitioners congratulate Sanwo – Olu on Second term

Association of Practitioners of Community Media in Nigeria (APCOM) congratulates Gov. Babajide Sanwo – Olu as he begins second term, urged him to work with the association to disseminate government activities.

This was made known in an open letter to the governor titled “Letter of congratulations and introduction of community media to governance in Lagos State.” The letter which was signed by the National President, Abayomi Adejumo and the National PRO of the association, Oloyede Kolawole Sunday reads;

“We warmly congratulate your Excellency, Mr. Governor on your successful inauguration for a second term in office of our beloved state of excellence and aquatic splendour.

“As practitioners of Community Media, which is closer to the grassroots in all the 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), we followed the developments preceding the election that finally led to your victory. Despite all the avoidable hurdles, we played major roles in cascading all the people-focused projects executed under your administration to the communities we serve.

“We are writing this letter because we believe some of the not-too pleasant feedback we got during the campaigns could have been very well addressed if your administration had worked in tandem and closely with the Community Media to create a seamless link between the leaders and residents of the state.

“In Lagos State, Community Media practitioners have critical roles to play in enhancing governance by providing information and fostering dialogue between citizens and government officials. We provide platforms for citizens’ engagement on issues of concern and to hear directly from government officials about policies and programmes of the administration.

“As you begin your second term in office, we believe in your capacity to deliver good governance and your promise of a Greater Lagos. We, therefore, want to partner with your administration through in-depth coverage of issues and events at the grassroots, especially those that may not receive much attention from larger media outlets.

“We anticipate that your administration will maximise our spaces for citizens engagement through which information about government policies, projects and programmes will be disseminated unhindered.

“We also request that ministries, departments and agencies under your administration utilize our platforms in engaging with citizens about their activities.

“To this end, we request that one of our members be appointed to work with you in covering Community Affairs, thereby coordinating the coverage of government activities by our members.

“We once again congratulate and wish you a successful second term in office.”