Comrade Salihu Dantata Mahmud, speaking at the Osele Forum of Technocrats in Lagos, has called for unified teamwork in disseminating information about ministerial achievements, urging stakeholders to avoid working at cross-purposes.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the late Alhaji Dr Lateef Kayode Jakande, the first executive governor of Lagos and former Minister of Works and Housing, Mahmud stressed the importance of collective effort in achieving organisational goals.
“Are we all working as one to achieve one goal? No! Everyone seems to be working at variance, sometimes to impress the principal at the detriment of the organisation,” he said.
Mahmud highlighted Jakande’s legacy, noting his significant achievements as Lagos governor and Works Minister were rooted in teamwork.
He cited Jakande’s collaboration with others under the Unity Party of Nigeria’s clear ideology and blueprint as a model for success.
Praising current Works Minister Dave Umahi and Minister of State Bello Goronyo for their dedication, Mahmud noted that Jakande’s high standards continue to influence the ministry, despite housing now being a separate entity.
However, he expressed concern over the lack of cohesion in media and public relations departments within ministries and agencies.
“The political media appointees do their own differently, the civil servant information officers do theirs differently, in the same organisation,” Mahmud lamented.”
As a journalist and founder of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Jakande’s legacy underscores the need for professionalism in media practice, Mahmud argued. He decried the dominance of non-journalists in the field, attributing it to some practitioners’ failure to uphold standards.
Mahmud urged media professionals to maintain integrity, avoid double standards in press statements, and publish information transparently without personal alterations.
He concluded by calling for a unified approach to ensure the effective communication of ministerial achievements, reinforcing the enduring relevance of Jakande’s collaborative leadership style.
