Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has nominated the Chairman of the state council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dogo Shammah, as a Commissioner in the state.
Mr Sule on Wednesday submitted the name of Mr Shammah, a staff of Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) along with 14 others to the State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.
The nominees included Ahmed Yahaya (Toto LGA) Philip Dada (Karu LGA), Othman Bala Adam (Keffi LGA), Abdulkarim Kana (Kokona LGA), Obadiah Boyi (Akwanga LGA), Yusuf Turaki (Awe LGA) and Salihu Alizaga (Nassarawa Eggon LGA).
Others were Otaki Allahnanah (Keana LGA), Haruna Ogbole Adamu (Obi LGA), Ibrahim Musa Ekye (Doma LGA) and Mrs Fati Sabo (Nasarawa LGA).
Also nominated were Abubakar Imam (Lafia LGA), Halima Ahmadu Jabiru (Lafia LGA) and Mohammed Aliyu (Lafia LGA).
Meanwhile, some journalists have expressed joy over the nomination of their colleague and thanked the governor for recognising the union in his administration.
A correspondent of Radio Nigeria, Kaduna, Aliyu Muraki, said he was overwhelmed with joy over the development and lauded Mr Sule for finding a journalist in the state worthy of being a commissioner.
“We are proud of what the governor has done by honouring one of us with this nomination. We are very happy and hope the house of assembly will screen him for the job speedily,” he said.
A correspondent of The Nation newspaper, Donatus Nadi, said the nomination was a testimony of Mr Sule’s high regard for journalists in the state.
“For the first time, the executive is recognising journalists by nominating one of us as a commissioner.
“Now journalists can feel a sense of belonging and say they are directly part of the administration of the state,” he remarked.
Esther Akaa, who reports for The Voice newspaper, said her joy would be complete if Dogo Shammah was appointed Commissioner for Information to enhance government’s interface with journalists.
“The good news will be complete if he gets the Ministry of Information portfolio because he has been in the field.
He knows how to deal with journalists and he will handle the affairs of the state government in a very professional way,” she said.
(NAN)