The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has assured of the commitment of President Bola Tinubu towards leading the country out of the woods.
Fagbemi said various reforms and policy directions being introduced in all strata of national life are pointers to the sincerity of the federal government to make life more bearable for the citizens.
Represented by his Special Adviser, Media, Mr Kamar Ogundele, the AGF who spoke at the Abuja Social Media Summit on Wednesday, called for the support of all Nigerians for the federal government’s policy decisions. To enable government achieve the desired better Nigeria, Fagbemi canvassed that all hands must be on deck in efforts to transform the country into a greater nation devoid of bickering.
He explained that the theme of the summit: ‘Harnessing the Power of Social Media for National Development’, was both apt and timely, noting it as an aspect of modernised communication that can make or mar a country. According to him, social media platforms are buzzing in Nigeria because the government has guaranteed the freedom of speech. The minister said, “They have also become veritable tools that our teeming youths are using to showcase their talents and also to make money.
“But we must realise the need for us to at all times demonstrate responsible citizenship while this government has continued to provide responsible leadership through many social safety nets it has provided over time.
“Just as they say that social media neither sleeps nor slumbers, we must watch our word! Weigh it before you utter it. For, once uttered, it cannot be retrieved. No individual should use his freedom of speech on social media to infringe upon the rights of another as it is fast becoming the order of the day.
“We must also be careful of what we say about our country. Political differences should not make us de-market our country on the international stage. Only unpatriotic citizens or leaders will choose to do so. Those who speak ill of their country to settle political differences should never have the opportunity to lead the same country at any stage.
“This government has demonstrated responsible leadership by allowing freedom of expression and will continue to do so.Harnessing the power of social media for national development involves leveraging social media platforms to promote economic growth, improve governance, enhance civic engagement, and foster societal progress.
“Some ways social media can contribute to national development include e-commerce and digital payments; job creation and remote work opportunities; entrepreneurship and innovation promotion; tourism marketing and promotion; and access to international markets
“It also promotes transparency and accountability; citizen participation and engagement; public service announcements and information dissemination; feedback mechanisms and complaint resolution.
“Governments all over the world are also using it for education and awareness campaigns, social inclusion and diversity promotion, as well as national unity and patriotism promotion to achieve societal progress.”
He cited the examples of India’s Digital India programme, South Korea’s e-Government initiative, Estonia’s digital governance model, Kenya’s M-Pesa mobile payment system, and Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative.
“Nigeria is not left behind. Here the vibrant National Orientation Agency (NOA), which is an agency of the federal government, is dedicated to fostering national unity and development by enlightening and engaging citizens with accurate and timely information.
He emphasised that with all the advantages of social media, there are attendant challenges and limitations which include digital divide and inequality, misinformation and disinformation, cybersecurity threats, and privacy concerns.
“To overcome these challenges, governments, civil society, and private sector stakeholders must work together to create an enabling environment for social media-driven national development,” Fagbemi charged.
