Keeping Our Government On Its Toes

Speech by His Excellency, Alhaji (Dr.) Abdullahi Adamu (Sarkin Yakin Keffi) Executive Governor of Nasarawa State at the Foundation Laying Ceremony of the Press Hall of Nasarawa Publishing Company at Kuchikau, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Friday, April 15, 2005.

Today’s foundation laying ceremony provide for us an opportunity to feel a sense of fulfillment because it is one giant step forward in the realization of our administration’s dream of providing transparent and open government for our people. The Nasarawa Publishing Company is one part of the media edifice which we created to provide an opportunity for our people to be informed about the on goings in their government. The other media of information in this edifice are the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (Radio and Television) and our website on the Internet.

We incorporated the company at the commencement of our administration in 1999, as part of our administration’s promise to run an open, transparent and accountable government - one that not only respects and acts on the basis of the wishes and aspirations of the governed but also gives the governed the means or medium through which express these wishes and aspirations.

The Nasarawa Publishing Company was established as a printing and publishing outfit to produce newspapers, magazines and any other publications that will provide a medium for the dissemination and cross-fertilization of ideas between the governed and the leaders on the various issues that affect the peoples of the state. Our vision is to produce publications that will help promote better understanding among the various peoples and cultures, not only in our state but across the country. We wanted, in particular, publications that would provide a medium through which we can talk to the people and the people can talk back to us, commend us when and where necessary and constructively criticize us when we go wrong so that together we can build the state and make it the envy of other states in the federation.

This is why we have, as a standing policy, allowed the managers and editors of the publishing house a freehand to run the company as they dim fit, guided only by the company’s editorial policies, their professional ethics, sense of responsibility and their judgment of what is right and what is wrong. As a political leadership, have never censored what goes into Nigerian Newsday, nor have we ever put any pressure, subtle or direct, on the editors. And we intend to keep this policy of non-interference in the running of the newspaper based on our hope and belief that the managers and editors of the Nasarawa Publishing Company will keep striving for excellence and will never consciously betray the highest ideals and ethics of the journalism profession. We also hope the management will not fail to see the need to avoid promoting the things that divide us or undermine our unity and peaceful co-existence.

This Press Hall is to be built at the cost of N25.2 million and it is to be completed within 3 months so that it will be ready before the arrival of the printing press, which has been ordered. With the Press Hall and the printing machine to be installed therein, the NPC will be all set to move from weekly to daily production, and thus significantly expand its operation so as to fulfill our mission.

Recently we announced our policy of gradually withdrawing subventions to commercially viable parastatals. In the specific case of Nasarawa Publishing Company, it is the intention of government to work out an arrangement that will allow private individuals and concerns to invest in, and participate in the running of the company when it is fully established. This policy will encourage the private sector to inject more vigour into the company and strengthen its financial base. In this regard, I must call on the NPC management to fashion out and pursue bold policies that will help to eventually make the company self-sustaining and, therefore, financially independent of the government. This goal is not only desirable but achievable, especially with the full complement of the machines and equipment that the government has provided. Government has been very supportive of the company management, but it must be realised that with increasing demands on its meager resources, the government will not always be forthcoming with financial assistance especially at the time when the company would have acquired or been given all it requires to wean itself from the public purse.

Thank you very much and may God continue to bless our efforts.