The Director-General (D-G) of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, says the agency is making concerted effort to ensure that its content is available in all platforms to broaden its audience base.
Ndace stated this during his address of welcome at the 2024 Management Retreat 0f the agency on Tuesday in Abuja.
He appreciated President Bola Tinubu for entrusting him with the leadership of VON and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris for his unwavering guidance and belief in the transformative potential of VON.
The VON D-G explained that since stepping into this role, his leadership has been guided by a three pronged approach, which focused on People, Platform, and Partnerships.
He further explained that the heartbeat of the agency are the people, which includes directors, deputy directors, unit heads, reporters, security personnel, NYSC members, interns, and all staff who make up the organisation.
“I am committed to fostering a culture of collaboration and teamwork, where every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute to our mission.
“Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Abdullahi Dikko, a loyal listener of VON from Côte d’Ivoire, who reminded us of the power of VON as a source of credible information
“Our Platform is essential to achieving VON’s mission. With continued efforts to expand our digital footprint, we’re working to ensure that our content is available across all platforms and devices.
“This strategy allows us to keep pace with the changing media landscape while maintaining the authenticity of our traditional broadcasts,” he said.
Ndace noted that, under his leadership, the agency has forged new alliances and strengthened existing ones.
“Our collaboration with the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation has enabled staff exchanges that enriched our Swahili broadcasts and deepened our regional presence.
“Similarly, our partnership with the U.S. Agency for Global Media has expanded VON’s international reach by enabling the retransmission of Voice of America content.
“This partnership broadens our programming and solidifies VON’s role as a central player in Africa’s media ecosystem.
“Additionally, we continue to collaborate with local and international media organisations to advance positive narratives for Africa, underscoring the fact that Nigeria remains a beacon of heritage, strength, and opportunity,” he said.
He also stressed that VON has also collaborated with various government agencies, encouraging them to leverage on its multilingual capabilities to share their positive stories with diverse audiences.
According to him, VON is working with the Ministry of Solid Minerals, NCC, the Nigerian Army, and other organisations to create dedicated programmes.
“This approach aligns with the directives of our Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, who has underscored the importance of promoting the activities of our agencies as a priority.
“By highlighting their achievements and contributions across multiple languages, we are not only fostering greater national unity, but also ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of language or location, feels connected to the progress our government is making,” Ndace said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the event attracted stakeholders from the media space in the country.
