Dangote Industries Limited, one of the leading manufacturers of cement in Africa, yesterday charged media practitioners in Nigeria to leverage on the opportunities inherent in the digital technology to achieve accurate reportage in the country.
The plant director of Dangote Cement company in Ibese, Azad Nawabbudin gave the charge while delivering his address at the 2-day training organized for 50 journalists drawn from across the six South Western states of the country.
In his address at the media capacity building event, organised by the Centre Financial Journalism (CFJ), powered by the Dangote Group and themed: “Ethics, Skills and Personal Qualities for Reporting In The Digital Age”, Nawabbudin urged the journalists to take advantage of opportunities inherent in digital technology, particularly in the social media to positively reach a larger audience in Nigeria who daily make use of the various versions of the new media with accurate reportage.
Emphasizing that the training was part of Dangote Group’s corporate strategy towards impacting journalists, who are considered critical stakeholders, Nawabbudin said the training would go a long way at equipping media practitioners, particularly from the South West with the necessary wherewithal “to operate more efficiently and effectively in the new social media era.
“More than ever before, the Nigerian media desires more education, intellect and skills to deal with issues as they are always under severe pressure to deliver since the emergence of social media. Little wonder, some media practitioners have resorted to sensationalism, blowing issues out of proportion without confirmation in the quest to meet deadlines and get attention and patronage,” he said.
