Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture has revealed that managing information and communication of a reformist government like that of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is daunting.
Lai Mohammed said this in a keynote address delivered in Lagos on Thursday, June 24, at a meeting of APC Government information managers at federal and state levels.
The meeting organised by the Progressive Governors Forum was hosted by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos.
“Perhaps, the most daunting task anyone can take on in this age and time is that of information and communication management.
“It is even more daunting when you are engaged in information and communication management for a reformist government like ours.
“As you all know, ‘change’ is the mantra of our party, the APC, and change, as we all know does not come easy,’’ he said.
Lai Mohammed said that the advent of new information and digital technology had made the job of information and communication management more challenging.
According to him, social media as a double-edged sword, provide opportunities and challenges in equal measure.
He said while the government had leveraged on social media platforms to propagate its activities, it recently suspended the operations of Twitter because of the threat posed by the gross abuse of the platform to the nation’s peace and unity.
“Twitter is the platform of choice for separatist campaigners; especially those of them residing outside the country.
“They use it to issue directives to their followers in Nigeria to attack our security forces; as well as to burn police stations and INEC offices.
“It was a tough decision to take, considering that many of our youths also use the platform for business.
“Such is the challenge pose by social media,’’ he said.
Lai Mohammed said that following the request by Twitter, the government had agreed to engage with the microblogging site; without compromising national interest.