Media and capacity-building NGO FrontFoot Media Initiative has announced that Gombe, Gombe State, will host the fifth edition of the Audit Reporting Training programme for journalists.

FrontFoot Media Initiative holds the training under the auspices of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism and the sponsorship of the MacArthur Foundation.

Mr Emeka Izeze, a director of FrontFoot Media, said: “The Gombe programme will feature participants not only from Gombe but also from the neighbouring states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, and Taraba, a testament to the inclusivity and reach of Front Foot's training initiatives. We look forward to training about 40 media personnel, each of whom plays a crucial role in our media landscape.”

Previous trainings were held in Benin, Awka, Abuja, and Lagos.

Gombe State Governor Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya is expected to address participants in line with an agenda of openness and accountability.

Mr Ismaila Zakari, a past president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, an Internal Auditor of Premium Pensions Abuja, and an ICAN Fellow, will lead the training supported by Mr Yusuf Doma, a Fellow of ICAN and Internal Auditor at Premium Pensions Abuja. Their expertise and guidance will ensure a high-quality learning experience for all participants.

FrontFoot Media Initiative describes the programme as “a flagship capacity development programme of FrontFoot Media Initiative. It is a Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability project.”

In a news release, Front Foot Media Initiative Training Coordinator, Mr Chido Nwakanma, added: “In this effort, FrontFoot teams, accompanied by experts in the field, work in pre-selected states where they conduct free training for journalists. Participants learn how and where to locate the relevant reports, interpret the material, and write engaging news stories and features that enlighten, stimulate, and empower the electorate, and discourage impunity.”

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