Kano Assembly Approves Nomination of Bature, Gani as Commissioners

…As nominee seeks Support for Social Media Regulation Bill

Kano State Commissioner-nominee, Sanusi Bature, has called on the State House of Assembly to enact a law regulating social media activities to address the spread of unverified information and alleged abuse of journalistic ethics.

Bature made the call on Tuesday when he appeared before the Assembly for screening and confirmation as a commissioner.

He urged the lawmakers to collaborate with the state ministries of information and science, technology and innovation to develop the proposed legislation, subject to the approval of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The nominee described the proliferation of unregulated social media content as one of the major challenges facing the media industry, saying it had contributed to the erosion of professional standards and the spread of misinformation.

He said, “We will require the intervention of the House for one important bill, social media regulation. It is going to be in conjunction with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

“One of the major challenges we are facing, particularly the bastardisation of the ethics of journalism and media information, is the free-market nature of social media.

“We will sanitise the system,” he stated.

Bature also pledged to revitalise Kano-owned media organisations, including Kano Radio, Abubakar Rimi Television and Triumph Publishing Company, through digital transformation to make them full-fledged multimedia platforms.

He further promised to support private media organisations in the state as part of efforts to strengthen the media industry.

The house also confirmed Balarabe Yusuf as a commissioner nominee after deliberation in the committee of the whole during plenary presided over by the speaker, Ismail Falgore.