Members of the Association of Practitioners of Community Media in Nigeria (APCOM) have offered to support the efforts of Government at all levels to contain the corona virus pandemic.
The association made the pledge during a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, in his Alausa Secretariat office recently.
Led by their patron and immediate past Information Commissioner of the State, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan, and the association’s president, Mr. Dayo Akintobi, members lauded the State Government’s efforts to date in combating the spread of the disease.
The APCOM patron, himself a community newspaper publisher, informed the Commissioner that the association is well placed to disseminate timely updates about the pandemic to the populace. According to him; “The media outlets of the association’s members are the voices and conscience of their communities; they are always relied upon for fast and authentic information.”
In his contribution, the association’s President, Akintobi, said the body exists to ensure the information needs of communities across the country are served comprehensively, diligently, professionally, and truthfully.
He then pledged APCOM’s support for the Lagos State Government’s initiatives to keep the public informed about Covid-19, and also called on all other arms of government to capitalize on APCOM’s widespread reach into communities across the country.
Responding, Mr. Omotoso expressed his profound appreciation to the leadership of APCOM for arranging the visit and for offering to partner with the State Government at this trying time.
“I believe in grassroots journalism such as you practice,” the Commissioner told his visitors. “Community media portrays society in its true colour.” He assured the association’s members that their pledge to support the government will be reciprocated.