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Rebuttal: Adhere to professionalism, stop baseless scoops, AUDA-NEPAD Media Aide urges online publisher

Published

5 years ago

February 10, 2020

Rebuttal: Adhere to professionalism, stop baseless scoops, AUDA-NEPAD Media Aide urges online publisher

Abolade Ogundimu, Media Assistant to the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer, African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development/African Peer Review Mechanism, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria, calls on publishers of Premium Times online, to strictly adhere to ethics of the profession and not acting in a manner that may tarnish the image of the noble profession.

The Aide with over two decades experience in journalism, made the call in reaction to what he described as a poorly investigated report published online by Premium Times on Sunday, February 9, 2020 with the headline ‘ Contractors groan as agency fails to pay, three yrs after work completion’ .

According to him, a report written by a reporter with the byline Abdulaziz Abdulaziz is more of Character assassination than news writing in every sense of it, given the manner it projects a public figure without recourse to its consequence.

“The founding fathers of this nation built solid platform for journalism to thrive, given the way late Herbert Macaulay, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo used media to enlighten the public not baseless reportage.

“For the record, Abdulaziz is more interested in adjudicating than balancing his story, being so emotional after getting a side of the story can never become hallmark of a good reporter.

“Quest for scoops should not be pursued without reasoning by any journalist or medium that truly seeks subscription of responsible segment of the public.

“In all my contacts with Abdulaziz, he was more interested in meeting my boss than establishing veracity of contractors’ allegations of job delivery and completion.

“He claimed to have an insider obviously, he never put in efforts to ask if most of the contracts said to have been completed truly exist or commensurate with the cost.

“The age long norm in journalism is for a reporter to present available facts with details to the respondent in order to get reaction but this reporter in question was reluctant to give details,rather he was calling repeatedly without regards for other things the receiver might be doing.

“Even if it is a soft sell publication, the fact that it is for any internet user calls for more refrain than crass description of a personality you have no personal experience of her conducts.
“When he finally sent a text to my boss, Princess Gloria Akobundu,in the middle of critical Management meeting, she directed me to hear him out immediately and I did.

“Initially, the so call reporter made allegation of refusal to pay contractors and I asked for evidence,he promised to provide them when we meet but when we eventually met, he only flashed a paper he claimed to be a committee’s report on unpaid projects.

“I told him to avail me a copy with names of contractors involved for adequate response, he declined but insisted he wanted to meet my boss,I then told him such action suggests blackmail and he said he wasn’t doing such.

“He called later and I gave him my email address where he sent a message without details of the contractors involved, again, I told him we could only react to specific issues,”the media Aide said.
Even as he said the agency would still react at the appropriate time, Ogundimu demanded apology from Premium Times for publishing the story he described as a form of distraction by mischief makers, using a desperate reporter to mislead the public.
“The report is just a distraction as my Boss is on official assignment for Nigeria outside the country, the first time details of the allegation was made available to us was in the defamatory online publication on Sunday.

“I will advise the journalist to apologise and retract the story immediately to save himself and his medium from wrath of the law.
“But the report has further justified need for stringent measures against media incompetence as neither the publisher nor the reporter displayed regards for verification of such petition according to the report.

“The medium, (Premium Times) and t items journalist, Abdulaziz have given more credence to the fact that journalism deserves better practitioners than hasty individuals and corporate bodies with no regard for etiquette,” he said.

Abolade said achievements of the AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria under Akobundu, as widely reported by the media were already getting public attention,but he reacted to the Premium Times report which he described as ‘mischievous’ for reference purpose.

It will be recalled that AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria has recorded some milestones since Akobundu assumed office including Presidential approval of its transformation from NEPAD; inauguration of National Governing Council of APRM Nigeria.
Other achievements are sensitisation of various stakeholders on Violence free elections; Collaboration with anti corruption agencies against corruption, including special side event at UN General Assemblies on the need for Global Collaboration against Illicit Financial Flows from Africa; collaborating with state and local governments on economic growth and good governance, among others.
“It is also on record that the Agency is currently in the process of conducting Second Peer Review of the country, to get grassroots view on how to further achieve Corporate Governance, Socio-economic growth.

The current management of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria welcomes constructive exchange of developmental ideas that can help the nation and humanity at large,not ready for cheap blackmails and baseless allegations.

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RMRDC: Making Giant Strides Under Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso

Published

11 hours ago

September 19, 2024

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

As we embark on a journey, we always pray for an able, experienced, and courageous driver, pilot, or sailor depending on the means of transportation.

This is because the captain will have enough experience and boldness to navigate out of turbulence and to bring all the passengers and crew to the intended destination.

Interestingly, these fine qualities of ability, experience, boldness, and many more, abound in the man, Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, who we all are pleased was appointed the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC, the Director General/CEO by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a few months ago. This is because he has brought his knowledge, ability, experience, and doggedness to bear in carrying out his assignment in charge of the Council.

The RMRDC, operating under the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, is pivotal in driving Nigeria’s industrial growth by optimizing local raw materials exploitation, development, and utilization. RMRDC, ab initio, was conceived as a child of necessity when Nigeria was reeling from the throes of global recession and plummeting crude oil prices.

Without an iota of doubt, today, the council is experiencing a transformation with massive innovation in raw material exploitation, development, and utilization, supporting business and industrial growth, and contributing to Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, in Abuja to commemorate his 100 days in office, he said the council is laying a solid foundation through numerous innovations that will further enhance growth in the country.

According to him, “In the past 100 days, my strategic pursuits have been to lay solid foundations for enduring success in these goals.

“Upon assuming this position, I set five crucial deliverables which include, refocusing the Council as a premier research institution; Strengthening the Council’s productivity and operational efficiency; and Significantly improving the staff welfare to be the best in the class of similar organizations.

“Others include, Boosting the Council’s visibility and instituting remarkable culture change that encourages ownership and productivity as well as Strengthening and deepening the Council’s place in the international arena.”While speaking on his Achievements so far, the DG revealed further: “My first task, therefore, was to implement a strategic goal-setting for the Council’s staff to define and set out clear objectives and targets to be achieved by the Council within a specified period towards refocusing on this historical mandate. We unleashed five significant initiatives in that regard.

“The nationwide raw material data collection exercise that focused on technical and investment information to drive our mission forward.

“The restructuring and renaming of the former Technology Innovation Complex (TIC), at the Obasanjo Space Center at Airport Road, Abuja, to a Research and Demonstration Plants Complex (RDPC). This complex will be Africa’s first center of excellence in raw material research, featuring state-of-the-art laboratories, technology development workshops, and proof of concept demonstrations.

“We have reactivated the Council’s Journal and repositioned it internationally. The repositioned Journal of Raw Material Research (JORMAR) will host RMRDC’s researchers’ publications, which are crucial in promoting awareness, facilitating knowledge sharing, and informing stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges in Nigeria’s raw materials sector. “The collaboration with universities and academies will strengthen our capacity for conducting market-guided research, ensuring sustained workforce training while deepening our orientation in science.

“The council has reformulated a new template for all our research proposals to ensure and sustain a clear departure from the old culture of blue-sky and deliberately endless research.”Speaking further, Prof Nwanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso stated that Staff welfare remains a top priority as an issue of unpaid salaries is settled as well as set up a comprehensive welfare program. “Similarly, we established the RMRDC Training School to sustainably build our staff and stakeholders’ capacity to further the staff welfare improvement goal.

“We are committed to openness, inclusiveness, and performance management and have initiated steps to continuously improve staff ownership, orchestrate transformative culture change, boost our corporate visibility, and enhance.

“To further strengthen our visibility and communication strategies, we are upgrading our media infrastructure, which includes the launch of the RMRDC online media platform, The RMRDC TV Online.

“Additionally, we are working hard to effectively enhance the intellectual property and patent portfolio of RMRDC from its current 40 to approximately 200 new patents within the next 24 months. This proactive approach secures valuable IP assets and positions the Council as a leader in innovation within the raw materials sector, contributing to Nigeria’s overall economic growth.“As well as launching an e-registration and certification portal to enhance transparency in the raw materials sector,” DG revealed.

He however reaffirmed his commitment to reshape the future of research, technology, and innovation, driving Nigeria towards an industrially vibrant and technologically resilient economy.

“As I mark 100 days in office, I boldly say that the Council is on the verge of rewriting its history.

“I believe that in no distant future, RMRDC will play a leading role in enhancing raw materials’ development to boost raw materials’ industrial trial processing and attain sustainable industrial growth in Nigeria.

The DG, however, applauded the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, for his unwavering support and mentorship, saying the Minister’s leadership has been instrumental in the progress made so far.

In his opening remarks, the Directorate of Corporate Affairs, Mr Chucks Ngaha commended the hard-working DG who has weathered the storm further to put the Council on the ladder of more prosperity.

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