Formal Commissioning of the Centre for Information Technology and Development Social Media for Accountability Lab and Radio Studio

Held On the 14TH OF DECEMBER, 2020

The Centre for Information Technology and Development on the 14th of December, 2020 formally commissioned its Social Media for Accountability Lab and Radio Studio. The two projects which have been established with support of Macarthur Foundation, aimed to train youth and students on Social media for accountability and give the university journalism students an avenue to practice what they have learned in the schools. The projects are also established to train youth on anti-corruption fight and accountability. Personalities at the event were Honorable Commissioner, Kano State Ministry of Information, Comrade Muhammad Garba who was ably represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Malam Usman Bala, Professor Habu Muhammad Fagge of the Political Science Department, Bayero University, Kano as the chairman of the occasion, Engineer Y.Z Ya’u, the Executive Director, CITAD and Mr. Oladayo Olaide, Deputy Country Director, Macarthur Foundation who joined the event virtually.

In his remarks at the commissioning of the social media lab and radio studio, the chairman of the occasion, Professor Habu Muhammad Fagge described the social media for accountability lab and the online radio as one of the most important event in the state. Prof. Habu stated that he was very delighted to serve as the chairman of the occasion as it was a history making event because whenever people talk about social media what first came to their minds was that it is a platform where all such of social nuisance is taking place. But today CITAD has changed the narrative and turned it into something very important; for knowledge production. Remarking further, Professor Habu stated that social media is a modern invention that links individuals with other groups, organizations with other organizations and organizations with state and non-state actors. He called on youth in the state to use social media for instrumental purposes and encouraged them to use it for knowledge production, communication, public enlightenment and research. He also described youths in northern Nigeria as the harbinger of transforming the society through modern techniques, innovation and technological development and social media encapsulate all of these. He stated that as many youth in northern Nigeria are everyday joining the social media without a proper knowledge on how to use it, this project commissioned by CITAD will help greatly in putting the youth in the right direction.

Speaking at the occasion, the Executive Director of CITAD, Malam Y.Z Ya’u stated that the reason behind the establishing of the social media lab was to train youth on how best to use the social media and to see to the creation of a New Nigeria where justice and accountability will prevail. He continued by saying that social media provided an avenue for people to inject their voice and many individuals are using social media without tapping its potentials and how best it will benefit them and their country. Also, the Executive Director stated that the Online Radio which has since started its transmission on internet was being established to promote accountability, good governance and democracy in the country, noting that democracy cannot and will not flourish without having fertile avenues where citizens will voice their opinions and this type of radio (online radio) has revolutionized the broadcast industry and given millions of citizens access to radio stations without spending much. The Executive Director also stated that the social media lab was always open to Kano state Ministry of Information for training it information officers and other staff.

In his goodwill message, Mr. Oladayo Olaide, the Deputy Director at MacArthur Foundation in Nigeria said he was very delighted seeing this project had become a reality. Mr. Olaide reiterated the importance of adhering to covid19 protocols as the Foundation is always encouraging its sub-grantees to respect the protocols. He also added that the Foundation was very delighted to be partnering with CITAD in this work because the essence of the social media lab and the radio station were to enhance citizens’ voice which is what the Foundation has been supporting for a very long period of time. He said the launching of the two projects were not just for the people to come and see the laptops in the lab or the journalists to witnessed the cutting of the tape in the studio but to create a platform for citizens to be able to better engage in the campaign for accountability, fight against corruption and contribute to consolidation of democracy in the country. Emphasizing that, the radio was being launched to create avenue to disseminate information and for the exchange of information between and among citizens, he added. He concluded that the success and impact of the launching of the two projects will not be judged by the number of attendees today but by the changes that the projects are able to catalyze through the information generated and the feedback that are transform into action points.  Finally, he called on social media users to be ethical and responsible on the way and manner in which they use to engage in good governance without throwing the country into further chaos.

In his commissioning remarks, the special guest of honor at the event, Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Comrade Muhammad Garba who was ably represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Malam Usman Bala, mni expressed his happiness and commended CITAD for taking the lead in this important revolution. According to him, democracy is about engaging positively and these two projects are what they intend to do. He noted that social media is a tool for construction as well as destruction, he thanked CITAD for kick starting this project to sensitize youth on using social media to promote accountability. He expressed his ministry’s readiness to collaborate with CITAD in this project.

Kano: CITAD Commissions First Social Media Lab, Online Radio Studio in North

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has commissioned a social media lab and online radio studio in its headquarters in Kano state.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, held at the CITAD’s headquarters in Kano yesterday, Executive Director of the organization, Yunusa Z. Ya’u said the facility was first of its kind in Northern Nigeria.
He said the facility, which was commissioned for use by the Kano Commissioner for Information, Mallam Muhammadu Garba, would be used to promote social media entrepreneurship, accountability and good governance.
He explained that the social media lab, donated by McArthur Foundation, is equipped with 40 sets of state-of- the-art laptops and a modern radio presentation studio.
Ya’u however stated that CITAD is going to train 5000 social media users in Kano in the next three months on ethical journalism as a means of providing social responsibility, accountability and good governance in the country.
“We at the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) intend to train 5000 social media users on ethical journalism in the next three months” he stated.
He explained the need for the Social media to be utilised positively not only for entrepreneur but also for promoting transparency, accountability and good governance while explaining how it has broken all barriers and provided a platform for expression of voices of the public.
“Social media should be used to promote accountability, transparency and democracy.
“The social media did not only create jobs but also serve as means to check governance and fight against corruption.
“People will fight corruption when they understand why their children cannot go to school, why their are no effective healthcare delivery services, why there are no good roads or why they cannot travel from Kano to Kaduna due to insecurity. It is through ethical journalism that all these could be achieved” he stated.
In his goodwill message, the information commissioner, represented by Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Usman Bala, called for the establishment of an international or a regional framework for social media practices.

He commanded CITAD for the initiative, adding that the Non Governmental Organization had contributed immensely to the development of social media in northern Nigeria.

CITAD to Train 5,000 Youth on Ethics of Social Media

By Yakubu Salisu, Kano

The Executive Director, Centre for Information Technology CITAD, Yunusa Z. Ya’u has revealed that the Centre intends to train 5,000 youth in the next three years on the ethics of using the social media to promote accountability, fight corruption and consolidate democracy.

Ya’u made the disclosure on Monday during the official commissioning of the Centre’s social media lab and first online radio station in Kano.

According to him, the social media which gives the ordinary citizens avenue to express their opinions about governance as it concerns them, like every technology requires certain skills for professional utilization without which will lead to a the abuse of the platforms.

He said, “democracy is about voice without which there would be no democracy and progress and at CITAD, we believe that the voice of the masses matters.

Through the social media, we hope to reach out to more persons as it cuts down the cost of communication to engage them, educate and enlighten them on the need to transform into a mass movement geared towards making Nigeria a country where justice, security, education and hospitals functions amongst many other”.

Yunusa further stated that the radio station which will disseminate information as expected would also serve as a venue for students studying Mass Communication to practice what they have learnt in school just as the social media lab furnished with 40 new Laptops would be put into immediate use.

Declaring the lab and station open, the Honorable Commissioner of Information, Kano State Ministry of Information, Comrade Muhammad Garba commended CITAD for the revolution of bringing into perspective the societal need on the social media.

Garba who was represented by the Ministry’s Perm. Sec. Usman Balla stated that the initiative to train youth on ethical issues surrounding the use of social media is a move in the right direction and a frame work worthy of emulation.

” I commend the Centre for this move, being the first of its kind in the state and would further strengthen citizen/Gov engagement.

The initiative is remarkable one because the social media can serve as a tool for construction but at the same time, and a tool for destruction if not handled with care,” he added.

 

 

CITAD to Train 5000 Youth on Ethical Use of Social Media

By Abbas Yushau Yusuf

The centre for information Technology and Development CITAD says it will embark on the Training of 5000 Youth on the Ethical use of social media and for Accountability and fighting corruption in the next three years.

The Executive Director of CITAD Malam Y. Z Yau stated this during the commissioning of Social Media laboratory and Radio Studio provided by the centre with support from MAC Arthur Foundation.

Usman Bala Overseeing The Radio Studio 

Malam YZ Yau said the emergence of Social media has democratize information and the need for citizens to speak on how they are governed on social media becomes very necessary.

According to the Director, Social Media provided an avenue for people to inject their voice and many individuals utilised Social media without tapping how its used for good and the country.

He said CITAD will train 5000 youth on how to use social Media ethically for the next three years.

CITAD Charges Kano Secondary Schools On ICT Inspired Learning
The CITAD Director added that the reasons behind the creation of the social Media Lab is to train Youth on how best its used and to see to the creation of New Nigeria where justice and accountability will prevail.

He noted that the Social Media lab will also train Youth on using the Social Media for Accountability and fighting corruption.

Malam Y Z Yau added that the Online Radio Studio will be used in training Journalism students to practice what they have learned in Schools.

In a remark the chairman of the occasion Professor Habu Muhammad Fagge of the Department of Political science Bayero University Kano said Social Media is one of the modern inventions that links individuals to groups and groups to organisations.

The University Don further called on social Media users to utilise the all important medium for conducting research and public enlightenment..

Professor Habu Fagge also called on the user’s to exploit the Social media in doing away with societal ills and make people understand the problems bedevilling the society.

 

In a remark the state commissioner for information Comrade Muhammad Garba represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Usman Bala Muhammad congratulated CITAD for inventing the online Radio which is the first of its kind in Kano.