You’re Now SDGs Champions, Buhari’s Aide Tells Borno Journalists

By Gbenga Akingbule 

The Seniour Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals   (OSSAP- SDGs)   Princess Adejoke Orelope – Adefulire  has on Monday inaugurated a team of 50  Journalists and charged them to contribute their quota towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals in their domain. 

Mrs Adefulire also charged Journalists to always operate within their ethical standards , balance their reports and not to deliberately  publish reports that may lead to violence in the country.  

This was disclosed  In Maiduguri, the Borno State capital during  the training of journalists on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and developing a Network of Sustainability organised by the The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Nigeria, and Media Awareness and Information For All Network (MAIN). 

According to Princess Adefulire, the training is aimed at engaging the Nigerian media to take an active role in the implementation and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development noting that Journalists have a key role to play .

She noted that the ” nexus of Journalism and the SDGs places the media at the core of sustainable development – both as contributors and as beneficiaries. Through this capacity building and network of Sustainability Reporters, the overall outcome will be to enhance skills and knowledge, which will potentially impact on government policies and public awareness through SDG-based reporting. 

” By learning how to monitor specific indicators on SDGs, compelling stories can be developed with a view to strongly influence decision-makers and members of the public.  

” let me from the onset appreciate and commend the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) and the Media Awareness and Information for All Network (MAIN), for facilitating this strategic initiative. It is gladdening to have us utilise this platform to engage and reaffirm your contributions as critical stakeholders and partners in advocacy and sensitization for the achievement of the Global Goals and for our national development. 

” Distinguished guests and participants, recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, joined other World Leaders during the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2015 to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda for sustainable development envisions a present and a future that is economically sustainable, socially inclusive and environmentally resilient. 

” This vision is expressed through the framing of the 17 SDGs; 169 targets and 230 Key Performance Indicators. Taken together, the SDGs are a Universal call to action to end poverty, safeguard the planet and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity by the year 2030. And to make meaningful progress on the SDGs, they must be carefully integrated into national and sub-national policies and plans. And the media must play its role as facilitators and enablers of inclusive and sustainable development. ” The Presidentila aide said .

The Presidential aide added that the recent approlval of  full financial and administrative  Autonomy  to Local Government Councils by the National Assembly at the ongoing constitutional amendment  is another positive step in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by year 2030 in the grassroot area , urging state legislators to also follow the stand of the National Assembly. 

” We still have a clear hurdle to overcome,  we still need the two – third approval of state Houses of Assembly to get the Local Government Autonomy . But, at the moment, were working with the state governments towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals at the Local Government Level .”