The Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Buki Ponle, has called on journalists to write more on developmental issues affecting Africa.
He gave the advice during his familiarisation visit to NAN office in Ilorin on Wednesday.
Ponle who was appointed NAN managing director by President Muhammadu Buhari on Aug. 26, 2020 assumed office on Sept. 1 same year.
He urged media practitioners to report positive news stories about Africa and desist from focusing on negative angles.
“We focus mainly on terrorism, hunger, bad economy and forget to report on the creativity in Africa, the attractive culture on the continent.
“A journalist should not just focus on the bad angle of a story. There is also news in the positive happenings on the continent.
“Even the Boko Haram insurgency, there can be positive side to the story, human angle stories like the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) where people in the camp produce enough food to feed the camp.
“As journalists, we must learn to be disciplined and do balanced report.
“Africa should not only be known for bad stories or occurrences, it has many positive angles. Let us report the positive angles about our continent,” he advised.
The managing director also advised NAN members of staff to be on top of their beats and be good ambassadors of the agency.
He enjoined the workers not to be distracted by challenges, but rather look into the future with optimism, adding that the future of the agency is very bright.
Ponle also assured the members of staff that the agency had not closed its eyes on training, disclosing that as a starter, editorial conference would hold this year.
He stressed the commitment of the management to welfare of staff.
“Staff welfare is our priority. We assure you of a better and improved welfare. We are addressing your transport allowance and very soon, you will start receiving alert.
“Even your work equipment like furniture and other tools will be made available,” he said.
NAN reports that the managing director was accompanied by the former Zonal Manager, Southwest Zone, Mr Mufutau Ojo, now Special Assistant (SA) to Ponle.
The NAN State Correspondent, Mr Biodun Esan, congratulated the managing director on his appointment, assuring him of maximum cooperation of members of staff in the state for improved output.
Esan intimated the managing director on the challenges Kwara office was facing to include erosion and problem of water.
He appealed to the managing director to look into the erosion problem and provide borehole for the office.
Esan also appealed to the managing director to look into paying reporters allowance for data used to send stories.
Mr Mohammed Tola, a Deputy Editor-in-Chief (DEIC) encouraged colleagues to remain focus on their jobs and be more productive.
He added that their output would always be appreciated and rewarded eventually.
Ponle, accompanied by Ojo, Tola, Esan and others, paid an unscheduled visit to a pioneer staff of the agency, Alhaji Abdulkareem Adisa.
