Fashola Underscores Importance of Accurate data for developmental issues

By
David Henry
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L-R :The Managing Director/Editor- in Chief, Daily Times ,Mr. Aliu Akoshile; Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Raji Fashola and Minister of State Works and Housing Engr Abubakar Aliyu during the visit
Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Raji Fashola has said that, accurate data survey, collection and analysis would go along way in addressing developmental issues in the country 
 
He made this remark while hosting the Managing Director/Editor in Chief of the Folio Communications Ltd, the Publishers of Daily Times Newspaper and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office 
 
The Minister stated that “we need research, knowledge and data analyst to report factual information for developmental issues in the country”
 
 While noting that many developmental issues and planning were not based on the right data, Fashola encouraged the media houses to invest in strong data collection and employ data analysts in order to have a more credible and informed news materials
 
Accordingly, the Minister implored the media to fund investigative journalism and to always confirm the authenticity of their reports, so that they could properly advise government on policies and to change the negative mindset of the people  
 
 On the need for the media to have a strong and credible data base, Fashola listed online polls, university campuses and international sites as parts of the areas where reporters can gather their data.
 
Reacting on the vision of the new management envisaging Daily Times for tomorrow’s audience, Fashola advised the management to give consideration to sports, entertainment, colleges with heavy activities and invest more on columnist and IT so that the newspaper can be relevant in finding new audience in young people.
 
Responding to a question on the issue of building collapse in the country, Fashola listed; error of design; construction mistake or abuse; malpractice, improper soil test and abuse of law and order, as majorly factors responsible. 
 
He enjoined the professional bodies in the sector to live up to expectation by sanctioning erring  builders 
 
In his remarks, Minister of State Works and Housing Engr Abubakar Aliyu, blamed the activities of quacks in the built industry as responsible for building collapses. He pointed out that the purpose of any building, residential or commercial must always be stated at the on set before getting approval 
 
He explained that building for schools, disco hall and residential houses  are completely different  in design and structures, and whatever goes wrong should be the responsibility of the structural engineers who must ensure the building stands 
 
Earlier in his remarks, Aliu Akoshile, the Managing Director/Editor- in Chief, Daily Times, told the Minister that they came to specifically explore opportunity for collaboration with the Ministry and seek its support.
 
He told the Minister that the new management of Daily Times under his leadership had re-positioned the medium which  brought the paper higher in the global ranking.
 
The Editor -in-Chief also disclosed that Daily Times intends to form a veritable platform with the public sector by dedicating a page weekly on the efforts of the government in infrastructural delivery in the country
 
He explained that it was their own way of supporting the government and to change the mindset of people about the current development in the nation.
 
Salisu B. Haiba
Asst Director Press
November 27, 2019

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