Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has sought to partner with the Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust newspaper, to achieve the economic diversification thrust of the country, particularly in the Northern region.
Engineer Sule made the case while playing host to the management of the Daily Trust newspaper, led by its Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Malam Nura Daura, at the Government House Lafia, on Wednesday.
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The governor equally sought the support of the flagship northern newspaper to address the negative indices associated with education in the region.
According to the governor, there is every need to diversify the economy of Nigeria, particularly that of the North because the country’s reliance on oil and gas is but for a matter of time.
Engineer Sule reemphasised that the future of Nigeria and the North lies in minerals and agriculture.
The governor, therefore, said there’s the need to collaborate with the Daily Trust towards achieving economic diversification of the North, especially since there is no state in the region that does not have one form of solid minerals or the other.
On the fallen standards of education in the North, Engineer Sule said he was always baffled while attending either the National Economic Council (NEC) or the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) meetings and seeing the region at the bottom of every index or parameter in education, while the Southern states remain at the top.
The governor assured the newspaper that his administration will continue to build on the already existing relationship between Nasarawa State and Daily Trust.
Engineer Sule lauded the progress made so far and the decision of the owner-managers to step aside and allow core professionals to manage the affairs of the newspaper.
The governor particularly commended Media Trust Limited for seeking to reawaken the reading culture in children, recently threatened by social media, through the publication of the Teen Trust, a newspaper targeted at children.
Earlier, Acting CEO of the Daily Trust, Malam Nura Daura, said they were at the Government House to build on the already existing relationship between the Nasarawa State government and the newspaper.
While commending the governor for his development initiatives, Malam Daura said Engineer Sule is bound to leave lots of legacies by the time he leaves office coming from the organised private sector.
The Daily Trust management sought further collaborations with the state government, particularly in patronising its Teen Trust, a subscription-based newspaper for children, aimed at inculcating reading culture in children.
The Daily Trust Acting CEO was accompanied on the visit by the Editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Naziru Mikailu, as well as the General Manager of Business Development, Malam Ahmed Shekarau.
