By Balarabe Abdullahi Kiru
The Kano State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in effective information management as a means of deepening democracy and promoting good governance at the grassroots.
The Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the flag-off of a three-day National Professional Capacity Building Workshop organised by the Association of Local Government Information Officers of Nigeria (ALGION).
Waiya, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Tsoho Aliyu Rogo, said the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf recognised the strategic role of local government information officers in projecting government programmes and gathering feedback from citizens.
“In Kano, we have invested in our 44 LGA and eight Zonal Information Officers because we understand that government can only succeed when its policies and programmes are well communicated and understood by the people. This workshop aligns perfectly with that vision,” he said.
He said information officers occupied a vital position in bridging the gap between government and the people, stressing that effective communication remained one of the strongest instruments for promoting transparency, accountability and public confidence in governance.
According to him, the state government would continue to support professional development programmes designed to enhance the capacity of information managers at all levels.
“Kano State Government has sponsored a number of workshops for information officers to enhance their performance, being the first responders in public enlightenment and the voice of government in their respective LGAs,” he added.
The commissioner commended ALGION for organising the workshop, describing capacity building as the bedrock of effective public communication.
He urged the participants to take advantage of the training, network with their colleagues and return to their respective states as agents of change capable of driving accurate, timely and people-centred information dissemination.
Earlier, the National President of ALGION, Comrade Jibril Basilla, said the workshop was designed to equip members with modern tools in digital communication, crisis management, data-driven reporting and strategic public enlightenment.
Basilla noted that the role of local government information officers had become increasingly important in countering misinformation and communicating government policies effectively to citizens at the grassroots.
“This workshop is not just a training. It is a reawakening of our mandate as the closest government communicators to the people. We must embrace new media, fact-checking and community engagement to remain relevant,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of information officers from Kano State, the Chairman of the Kano State Forum of Information Officers, Comrade Sharif Zahraddeen Usman, commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for sponsoring 52 information officers to participate in the 2026 National Professional Capacity Building Workshop.
He described the gesture as a demonstration of the governor’s commitment to human capital development and the professional advancement of information managers in the state.
Usman said the decision by the state government to fully sponsor 52 local government and zonal information officers to attend the national workshop was unprecedented and commendable.
The 2026 National Professional Capacity Building Workshop brought together local government information officers and communication professionals from across the country to deliberate on contemporary issues, emerging trends and best practices in public information management.
The workshop features paper presentations, panel discussions and practical sessions on digital media management, strategic communication, government-citizen engagement and countering fake news.
