Guardian

GOMBE State Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo has expressed dismay over the way some overzealous security personnel allegedly harass members of the public including journalists while carrying out official duties.

Dankwambo who spoke during a dinner with practicing Journalist in the state canvassed for a special training programme for security personnel especially in the area of public relations.

The Governor said he was personally shocked when he heard through the Speaker of the State House of Assembly that a Leadership newspaper correspondent was recently, slapped at the gate of the Government House by State Security Service (SSS) personnel while trying to come in and cover a government function.

The Governor who apologised to journalists said: “I assure you that for most of the people that are handling this kind of work now, we are going to ask them to go through certain kind of training programme”.

He added: “I want to sincerely apologise for that ill treatment that was done and I want to assure you that this is a government that believe in democracy, believe in the right to talk, believe in transparency, believe in full disclosure, believe in anything that is reasonable and the right of everybody and any person to have access to where he should have access,”

He explained that the state government believes in democracy and the right to talk and also believe that journalism and democracy go hand in hand.

Dankwambo explained that   he had already appealed to the journalist concerned, adding that, “It was the speaker who intervened at the spot of the incident as he came immediately and told me about it. I assure you that for most of the people that are handling this kind of work now, we are going to ask them to go through certain kind of training programme”.

The Governor added: “This kind of job and the way you treat certain kind of people require certain training. I’m sure it may not be entirely his fault or negligence. May be because of the circumstances in which it happened. I assure you that this kind of thing will not happen again”.

He thanked journalists in the state for the wonderful job they are doing and the cordial relationship existing between his government and the press stressing that “I do not have any reason to doubt the genuineness or the reporting pattern of most of the people that are in Gombe, so I thank you and I hope we will continue in that direction.”

Speaking earlier, the State Chairman of the Gombe State Chapter of the NUJ, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, commended the humility of the Governor for honouring journalists in the state, pointing out that it was the first time in the history of the state.

While pledging the support and cooperation of journalists in the state, the NUJ Chairman pleaded with the state Governor to ensure that all facilities are put in place to ensure that the state broadcast media meet the digitalisation deadline of 2015.