NAN-HG-8
Publicity
By Cecilia Ologunagba
Abuja, March 22, 2017 (NAN) The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has called for a robust collaboration between the media and international technical partners.
Mr Mohammed Tola, the NAN/UNFPA Project Coordinator in NAN, made the appeal in a presentation at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning on Wednesday in Abuja.
The meeting was part of the two-day quarterly meeting of the National Task Force Committee, and Partners in Population and Development (PPD) on South-South Cooperation.
The Coordination Meeting, which was co-sponsored by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), attracted key line implementing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Tola said that NAN was looking forward to a more effective relationship with all Implementing Partners (IPs) and other stakeholders to attain a sustainable national development.
He said that the agency was also looking forward to a more effective collaboration with the partners as encapsulated in the South-South Cooperation agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The coordinator said NAN had implemented more than the programmes outlined in the Agreed Work Plan (AWP) for the first quarter of 2017.
“NAN initially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) with UNFPA on one product — SMS but we have gone ahead to do four extra activities during the quarter.
“The agency covered UNFPA Executive Director’s visit to Kano, Kaduna and Borno states, produced media jackets for UNFPA, covered the IWD events in Lagos, Sokoto states and also covered the unveiling of FGM Ambassador by UNFPA ED in Lagos,’’ the official said.
He said NAN had faithfully delivered on its terms of the MoU, while the UNFPA was still being expected to redeem its intervention pledges.
“NAN, as the most dominant news medium in the country that provides about 80 per cent content for the media industry, has raised public awareness on UNFPA’s interventions in Nigeria.
“Stakeholders are being enlightened on SRH, VVF, FGM, etc, by about 85 per cent.
“With increased visibility, NAN hopes to raise high level political commitment at both the Federal and State levels within the period under review,’’ he said.
According to him, an estimated 150 million Nigerians and other stakeholders across the globe receive or enjoy NAN services.
This figure is expected to rise in the coming years with sustained support from the federal government and UNFPA.
Tola further told the meeting that NAN had slated some programmes for the second quarter of the year.
He listed the programmes as the NAN PR Wire Service, NAN Forum, study tours to assess success stories and coverage of UNFPA Global Observances.
Besides, the official explained, any engagement with NAN would increase the visibility of the activities, events and organisations concerned.
“We are planning to host UNFPA on the NAN flagship Forum to be transmitted to national and international media.
“We will undertake study tour to states to document success stories and evident based best practices.
“Also, we will cover all UNFPA Global Observances and key activities; these include the World Population Day, State of World Population Report, World AIDS Day, 16-Day activism events, among others’’ he said.
According to him, the UNFPA signed the MoU with NAN on June 24, 2015, in Abuja, which qualified NAN as an Implementing Partner (IP).
Tola, however, listed some challenges in the partnership as unplanned activities and impromptu invitations to cover UNFPA events, poor funding from FGN and UNFPA, and delay in releases/ payment of funds.
NAN reports that the meeting was attended by more than 49 MDAs and CSOs involved in the reproductive health, family planning, population and development as well as humanitarian services.
The participants were drawn from the Ministries of National Planning and Budget, Finance, Health, Education, Women Affairs, NAN, National Bureau of Statistics, National Population Commission and Omokaro Foundation for the Aged, among others. (NAN)
CIA/MST/ HA
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Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu