Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Lagos State government is planning to occupy social media space with increased content on governments’ policies and programmes through its well-positioned social media platforms by engaging the online audience in advocacy and public enlightenment.
Kehinde Bamigbetan, the state commissioner for Information and Strategy, who stated this while kick-starting the annual Ministerial Press Briefing of the State government held at Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, also said that with increased uploading of content on its social media, followership is expected to rise to two million by the end of this year.
The commissioner announced the general increase in followership on all government social media platforms, attributing the increase to improved uploading of content in terms of short videos, infographics, Facebook and Instagram live videos.
According to him, the LASG Facebook account now has over 296,000 followers, making an increment of 14% from the initial 259,147 followers as at April 2017; the total number of posts on the Instagram platform is now 2,127 with a total of 16,500 followers resulting in over 1,000% increment from the initial 857 Followers as at same period last year while the twitter account now has over 173,264 followers resulting in 47% increment from the initial 117,782 followers as at April 2017.
Bamigbetan further disclosed that several reforms are going on to reposition the State-owned media houses to make them rank among equals.
The commissioner told journalists that the Ambode administration had intervened strategically by fast-tracking the acquisition of the state-of-the-art equipment for Lagos Television, Radio Lagos and Eko FM to enable the stations to compete favourably in the industry and boost revenue generation.
He said: “Considering the need to propagate the perspective and activities of the State government for public enlightenment and patronage of citizens, LTV, which historically is the first State television station in Nigeria, has received tremendous public expenditure to be more competitive and efficient.”
He reiterated that a new digital studio and new transmitters to improve the signal strength, quality and outreach were among equipment installed at the Lagos State Radio Service while the guest rooms, corridors, reception area and the entire ground floor were renovated as part of on-going efforts to make the work atmosphere more conducive and comfortable.
Bamigbetan further disclosed that Lagos State Printing Corporation, LSPC, is currently in a new phase of development following the installation of the newly purchased digital machine, adding that the Ambode administration is determined to ensure that the Corporation does not return to the unprofitable era.
In his words: “A final decision on the structure management for the Corporation as recommended by a project management audit and reviewed by a three-man Committee comprising the Commissioners of Information & Strategy, Finance and Establishment, Training and Pensions to ensure the emergence of a competitive, profitable and efficiently run printing business will be taken in due course.”
Following the recommendation, the commissioner said the corporation has been directed to set up a vibrant marketing unit to compete with the private sector for jobs while the Governor has issued a directive asking all MDAs to patronise the corporation, particularly for large orders.
The commissioner pledged that the ministry would continue to keep the populace informed by generating and deploying persuasive content to explain the inherent values of government policies across the various channels of communication, while also monitoring feedback that could guide re-packaging of governments’ policies and programmes in order to be constantly in tune with the temperament and expectations of the various publics.