From Maiharaji Altine
A Senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial Zone, Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis has organized a two day training workshop for social media handlers within the four local government areas of the zone
The participants were drawn from Maru, Bungudu, Gusau and Tsafe local government areas of the state.
The workshop tagged, “Leveraging Social Media to Drive Peace and Community Development” was conducted at the Command’s Guest Inn Gusau town the Zamfara state capital by Keraweb Media Limited.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Deputy Governor, Malam Mani Malam Mummuni who represented Governor Dauda Lawal commended Senator Bilbis for sponsoring the workshop, describing it as timely and a welcome development.
Malam Mani expressed optimism that the workshop would in no small measure give the youths the opportunity to know how best to handle social media platforms.
He however called on them to avoid sensational comments on social media platforms that could disrupt the peaceful coexistence of the people of the state.
“I want to use this opportunity to call on the youths to stop abusive language on social media platforms”.
You should all understand that, the era of sensational comments on social media is over since the time our administration under the leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal came to power”.
“I am happy that, our distinguished Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis has engaged a competent Media consultant, Malam Shuaibu Mungadi to give you training on social media platforms”.
“I want to you to pay more attention to what you will be taught so that at the end of the workshop, you will know how best to handle social media platforms to promote the activities of our government”.
In his speech at the occasion, the sponsor of the workshop, Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis said being the chairman, Senate committee on communication and a former information minister, he found it necessary to organize the training workshop to groom the social media handlers on modern communication.
He stressed that, as leaders of tomorrow, the youths were supposed to be educated and enlightened, adding that “This workshop is an avenue of training the youth for future challenges”.
Senator Bilbis promised to ensure that the training workshop was done annually so that every eligible person would benefit.
The chairman, board of Directors, Keraweb Media Limited, Malam Shuaibu Mungadi who spoke earlier commended Senator Bilbis who came up with the idea of the training the youth in the latest strategies and best practice in social media management, content creation and digital advocacy.
Mungadi said, “Senator Ikra Bilbis has always believed in the power of informed, connected and engaged communities.
Mungadi therefore charged the participants to make the best use of the workshop to broaden their knowledge in modern day communication in order to assist Senator Bilbis in the discharge of his constitutional responsibility.
He said, “Your roles as digital ambassadors of Senator Ikra Aliyu is crucial in spreading his vision, policies and initiatives to broader audience”.
“By the end of this workshop, you will have the skills to create compelling content, engage meaningfully with diverse audiences and use social media to foster positive change”.
Also speaking, the Managing Director, Keraweb Media Limited Dahiru Hassan Kera said, the world has now turned digital where decisions and actions were taken on the Internet.
He emphasized the need for any serious government or politician to have competent persons who could effectively handle the social media platforms.
Kera said, “Today, the large segment of our societies are on the net, the digital natives and they have been strongly influential in making or destroying things around us”.
He therefore commended Senator Bilbis for sponsoring the workshop to train the youths on how best to handle social media platforms.
He said, “It is against this background that distinguished Senator Ikra felt the need to equip the youth with necessary knowledge on the positive usage of the social media”.
“Media, especially the social media like the Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, telegram, TIkTok, Whatsapp and host of others have played and are still playing significant roles in building bridges, driving community cohesion and promoting peace and development”.
“Hence the need for training our youths on how best to use these tools to support government and leaders in building a better Zamfara state for all”. Concluded Kera.
