Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago was decorated as the Grand Patron of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Niger State Council Thursday at Government House, Minna.
The investiture was performed by NUJ President Chris Isiguzo, who also presented him with a certificate and said the honour was in recognition of his exemplary leadership qualities.
Governor Umaru Bago, in his remarks, described the role of journalism as vital to the development of any society, adding that journalists have helped in shaping democracy in Nigeria through their reportage.
He said that, as the fourth estate of the realm, journalists should carry out their duties as watchdogs of society and ensure objectivity in their reports.
He called for the censorship of social media content to checkmate the spread of fake news and hate speeches.
The governor appreciated the union for finding him worthy of the award and honour, pointing out that it has set a benchmark for him to do more and that his administration will not rest on its oars until the state is transformed.
The leader of the delegation and NUJ National President Dr. Chris Isiguzo said the conferment on the governor was because of his transformative and developmental strides in the areas of infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, good governance, and education, among others.
The NUJ president commended the farmer governor for the established cordial relationship between his government and journalists and called for continuous collaboration that will advance the profession for the benefit of the state.
Also speaking, the NUJ Chairman, Niger State Council, Comrade Abu Nmodu, said they were at the government house to also strengthen the synergy with the state government.