Mixed reactions have greeted the appointment of 44 social media activists by Kano Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, to work as senior special reporters and senior reporters at the various ministries and agencies of the state.

Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Yusuf, Comrade Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa said in a statement that the social media activists will help execute the policies, programmes and projects of the State government.

A veteran journalist, Alhaji Muhammed Aliyu, said virtually those appointees do not have rudimentary knowledge of journalism and are also capable of doing irreparable damage to the ethics of the journalism profession.

Comrade Dawakin-Tofa added that the SS on media will help execute government policies.

He added that the appointment of social media activists as reporters was part of efforts to provide access to information on policies, programmes and activities of the administration of Governor Yusuf.

Alhaji Aliyu stated that the state government’s appointment of the SS media to 44 local government councils was a deliberate attempt to rubbish the work of information officers at their respective places of work.

According to him, “All these were not trained journalists to me they were quack as far as the profession is concerned.

However, the Kano state chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Comrade Abba Ibrahim said; “Is a welcome development, because indirectly it has created employment.

“We all know that unemployment is one of the factors that lead to social vices, this appointment, would a bit take away these social vices”.

According to him, the state commissioner of information Alhaji Baba Halilu Dantiye recently made some commitment that the government would work in harmonium ways with both the conventional journalist and the social media influencers to enhance effective and efficiency in the dissemination of information in the State”.

He added that he believed that the crop of social media influencers would be trained on digital rights to guide against infringes on other people’s rights and deformation of characters.

Comrade Ibrahim noted that instead of local government information officers doing nothing to project their respective local government councils, the appointment of these SS media would spur them to perform maximally.

“In essence, the appointment is timely, especially since it is well-known that social media has come to stay, allowing them to operate independently just like that is better to bring them close, to enable them to know the dos and don’t of social media.”

While also commenting on the issue, former managing director of a local radio station but preferred anonymity said that the appointment of SS media was basically to enrich those hanging on politicians.

The Kano Governor CPS listed the SSAs and their portfolios to include: Anas Abba Dala, Senior Special Assistant, Political Awareness; Ali Muhammad Bichi, Senior Special Assistant, Religious Affairs; Alhajiji Nagoda, Senior Special Assistant, Information; Babban Alhaji Sagagi, Senior Special Assistant, Broadcast Media II; Ibrahim Muazzam Sanata, Senior Special Assistant, Public Affairs II.

Also appointed as SSA to Kano governor are: Ismail Murtala Zawa’I, Senior Special Assistant Media Awareness; Shamsu Aliyu Samanja, Senior Special Assistant, Publicity II; Fahad Balarabe Adaji, Senior Special Assistant, ICT Maintenance (Hardware); Abdullahi Ibrahim, Senior Special Assistant, Digital Media; Hassan Sani Tukur, Senior Special Assistant, New Media I.

Also appointed are: Hadiza Aminu, Senior Special Assistant, New Media II; Hon. Nasiru Isa Dikko,(Jarma) Senior Special Assistant, Non-governmental Organisations(NGOs); Ali Hamisu Indabawa, Senior Special Assistant I Photography; Nafi’u Dankura Adamu, Senior Special Assistant, Protocol (Abuja); Abdurrashid Muhammad Panda, Senior Special Assistant, Kwankwasiyya Media Groups.

Others include Nasiru Hassan Yan Awaki, Senior Special Assistant, Works; Abubakar Muhammad Inuwa, Senior Special Assistant, Reformatory Schools; Ibrahim Ma’aji Sumaila, Senior Special Assistant, Students Matters; Abdullahi Ghali Basaf, Senior Special Assistant, Information II; Bashari A. Yaro, Senior Special Assistant, Local Government Affairs.

Habibu Ya’u Kwankwaso, Senior Special Assistant, KSSMB; Yusuf Abdullahi Yanoko, Senior Special Assistant, Teacher Training and Development; Saminu Balago Yakasai, Senior Special Assistant, Askarawan Kwankwasiyya; Abdussalam Muhammad Sani, Senior Special Assistant, Domestic Affairs (Deputy Governor); Bala Abubakar, Senior Special Assistant, Security (Abuja).

Ishaq Abdul, Senior Special Assistant, Online Technology; Tijjani Kaura Goje, Senior Special Assistant, Lagos Liason Office; Balarabe Isa Abdullahi, Senior Special Assistant, Kaduna Liason Office; Mansur Ali Galadanchi, Senior Special Assistant, Automobile; Mustapha Ibrahim Chigari, Senior Special Assistant, Tourism.

Sani Rabi’u Muhammad (Rio), Senior Special Assistant, Butchers and Abbatoir; Ibrahim Abdu Hanga, Senior Special Assistant Printing II; Musbahu Shado, Senior Special Assistant, Abubakar Rimi Market; Abdullahi Sabo Abubakar, Senior Special Assistant, KARMA; Zainab Ibrahim D. Senior Special Assistant, Primary Education.

Dahiru Arrow Dakata, Senior Special Assistant, Environmental Sanitation; Jamilu Yamadawa, Senior Special Assistant, Youth and Sports; Yassir Abdullahi Jobe, Senior Special Assistant II ICT; Mubarak Muhammad Usman, Senior Special Assistant III, Information; Bashir Usman Gama, Senior Special Assistant II, Mobilization.

Mahmoud Abbas Sunusi, Senior Special Assistant, Chieftaincy Affairs; Adamu Maitama, Senior Special Assistant, Entrepreneurship; Rabi Hotoro, Senior Special Assistant, Women Affairs; Arc. Ahmad Ishaq, Senior Special Assistant, Urban Beautification; Arc. Abba Garba Yaro, Senior Special Assistant, KNUPDA.

Idris Tela Dandalama, Senior Special Assistant, Grazing Areas; Isa Rabi’u Wise, Senior Special Assistant II, Markets; Sharu Na Malam Dandago, Senior Special Assistant II, Religious Affairs; Rabiu Salisu Babba Dala, Senior Special Assistant, Agriculture; Aminu Sulaiman Gaya, Senior Special Assistant, Water Resources; Hassana Abubakar, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters.

Hajiya Mariya Sani Karaye, Senior Special Assistant II, Women Mobilisation; Hajiya Sa’adatu Salisu Yusha’u, Senior Special Assistant, Women Mobilisation (Kano South); Dr. Harisu Tsanyawa, Senior Special Assistant, Primary Healthcare; Sani Isa Romi, Senior Special Assistant, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Consumables; Inuwa Salisu Sharada, (KOSSAP), Senior Special Assistant, Marshalls II; Khalil Isa Dokadawa (Amana Luxury), Senior Special Assistant II, Transportation.

The Statement added that: “All appointments take effect immediately as the appointees are directed to collect their letters of appointment from the office of Secretary to the Kano State Government(SSG).”

The 44 social media activists and the ministries they have been deployed to by the Kano governor are as follows: Abba Zizu, Senior Special Reporter, Agriculture; Isma’il Alkassim, Special Reporter, Agriculture; Musa Garba (Jikan Oga), Senior Special Reporter, Budget and Planning; Bilal Musa Bakin Ruwa, Special Reporter, Budget and Planning; Auwal Dan-Ayagi, Senior Special Reporter, Commerce and Industry; Usman Abubakar Haske, Special Reporter, Commerce and Industry.

Auwalu Yau Yusuf, Senior Special Reporter, Culture and Tourism; Kamal I.G Kawaji, Special Reporter, Culture and Tourism; Comrd Hayatu Tanimu, Senior Special Reporter, Education; Usman Ibrahim, Special Reporter, Education; Mahmud Ali Yakasai, Senior Special Reporter, Environment; Rahma Abdullahi, Special Reporter, Environment.

Sani Umar, Senior Special Reporter, Finance; Abdulrahman Gama, Special Reporter, Finance; Aliyu Kwankwason Dorayi, Senior Special Reporter, Health; Zainab Muhammad, Special Reporter, Health; Nuhu Dambazau, Senior Special Reporter, Higher Education; Zainab Musa Aujara, Special Reporter, Higher Education; Yakubu Umar, Senior Special Reporter, Information; Ibrahim Yusha’u, Special Reporter, Information.

Amir Abdullahi Kima, Senior Special Reporter, Justice; Mahmud Mahmud Dala, Special Reporter, Justice; Mustapha R. Mahmud, Senior Special Reporter, Land and Physical Planning; Nanu Kankarofi, Special Reporter, Land and Physical Planning; Khatimu Kul-Kul, Senior Special Reporter, Local Government; Aisha Auwal, Special Reporter, Local Government; Kamal Yakasai, Senior Special Reporter, Project Monitoring.

Ibrahim M. Alliya, Special Reporter, Project Monitoring; Sunusi Ma’azu, Senior Special Reporter, Religious Affairs; Bashir Aliyu, Special Reporter, Religious Affairs; Shafa’atu Ahmad (Londonbe), Senior Special Reporter, Rural Development; Kabiru Nadabo Mai Rice, Special Reporter, Rural Development; Jameelat Meemi Koki, Senior Special Reporter, Special Duties; Muhammad Wasilu Kawo, Special Reporter, Special Duties.

Nasiru Kassim Fulatan, Senior Special Reporter, Science and Technology; Kamila Muhammad Siba, Special Reporter, Science and Technology; Ibrahim Rabi’u, Senior Special Reporter, Transportation; Yasir Ibrahim (Monday), Special Reporter, Transportation; Auwalu Sani Rogo, Senior Special Reporter, Water Resources.

Abu Sufyan Doguwa, Special Reporter, Water Resources; Fauziyya Isyaku, Senior Special Reporter, Women Affairs; Nabeel Sunusi, Special Reporter, Women Affairs; Gambo Galadanci, Senior Special Reporter, Works and Housing; Khamis B. Ayagi, Special Reporter, Works and Housing.

The appointees are directed to collect their letters of appointment and report to their respective agencies of assignment in Kano immediately. (Saturday Tribune)

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