[b]Since he assumed office as Minister of Information in November 2010,  Labaran Maku has not left anyone in doubt of his resolve to have Nigerians experience new frontiers in the art of information dissemination.

Unlike his predecessors who bombarded the public with wasteful  propaganda and sloganeering with jingles and stickers, Maku opted for a more pragmatic approach of public information dissemination through multimedia platforms including the social media.

The minister has successfully pursued information management on social media which accounts for over 80-90% of young people aged between 18-40 and which represents the most effervescent and dynamic segment of society. Maku has ensured that federal ministry of Information now has a strong presence on twitter-@FMINigeria. Facebook-Federal Ministry of Information, Nigeria. Blackberry-BB PIN 292816FB including Labaran Maku's personal Facebook account.

In addition to the above, the official website of the information ministry, www.fmi.gov.ng  which was hitherto moribund has today become a lively hub for factual, accurate and unbiased reportage of news, views, interviews and all, complete with videos and live event streaming. All these platforms are dedicated to propagating information and exchanging views with the public on a 24 hour basis.

Under his watch, the freedom of information bill was finalized and passed thus  breaking the jinx that plagued that revolutionary bill.  The FOI Act now serves to institutionalize unfettered public access to government information hitherto considered privileged. He has also increased the capacity of the staff of the ministry and boosted the morale of media workers through increment of allowances with effect from July 2011.

Maku scored another landmark with the introduction of the Ministerial platform series which provided the much needed opportunity for all ministers in the federal cabinet to render an account of their stewardship to the public. The sessions were aired live on NTA and other major TV stations thereby increasing public access to activities of government. This was in addition to the introduction of FRCN 30 minutes  programme, which features ministers in interactive sessions with the public every week.

In furtherance of his resolve to revolutionalise information dissemination, Maku kick started the National Good Governance Tour. The tour seeks to showcase completed and ongoing projects across the country. It involves media driven physical inspection of projects being executed by the three tiers of government on a non partisan basis.
Maku believes that the era of periodic media briefings  must give way to a culture of showing the projects on ground so that people can engage their government on projects they feel strongly about.  That is why the tour also incorporates the citizens forum component.

The citizens forum offers a platform for the citizens to ask pertinent questions about the activities of government. The programme is attended by the Governor of each state visited and runs live on FRCN, NTA and social media networks. It is designed in such a way that those outside the venue can also ask questions through social media platforms unhindered. [/b]

Of course. Given his background as a students union leader and civil rights activist who fought seriously during the military era, I have no doubts that he will perform.

For me he has really worked hard and proven himself a good information minister. Before now, we hardly get so much details about government and people. The minister has brought this informations to our doorsteps through the social media, which is the in thing now, all over the world.

I like d guy shaa. I enjoy watching him address issues with so much passion.

Abeg the man Sabi him work, and ready to prove himself anywhere and anytime. He has introduced so many reforms in the information ministry, which has really helped to draw the public closer to the government.

The good governance tour is one of his ideas that I really admire so much. It has caused so much noise, but you will believe me that it is actually achieving the set goal of making people aware of their surrounding and projects around them.

Countryman93:

Under his watch, the freedom of information bill was finalized and passed thus  breaking the jinx that plagued that revolutionary bill.  The FOI Act now serves to institutionalize unfettered public access to government information hitherto considered privileged. He has also increased the capacity of the staff of the ministry and boosted the morale of media workers through increment of allowances with effect from July 2011.
. [/b]

The bolded caught my attention. He deserves commendation for pushing through that bill. I remember the politics that has delayed the formulation and passage of that bill for years.
Severally it was thrown out of the National Assembly and the media was agog with condemnations over the insincerity of government to pass the bill.
It was believed that the bill will usher in accountability and openness in the running of government. This is so because everybody can easily demand to have any information he deems fit about any ministry or department of govt.
I remember that the yaradua administration came under heavy criticsm for playing politics with the freedom of information bill. They were accused of dreading the bill while they moved very fast to accelerate the passage of official secrets Act. The official secrets Act was the direct opposite of FOI. It seeks to hide the very information which the FOI intends to expose.

If Maku came in and the FOI was passed, it's not mere coincidence. It could have been a product of courage and political will to let the FOI see the light of day. I salute him for that

It is a known fact that when you hand someone a responsibility that he is passionate about,he will fufill that job to its maximum,that is the case with Labaran Maku,right from his student days he has been known as an activist,he has always done his best to make the voice of the ordinary man matter,and so it comes as no suprise to me the level to which he has excelled in his Job as Minister of Information,he is one of the most positively active Minister's in GEJ's cabinet outshining so many with his acievements,and I know for sure that he surely has other novel initiatives apart from the NGGTour.I give him an excellent passmark higher than any other Minister of Information(his predeccessors)could ever dream of earning.

Mekusnwa: The good governance tour is one of his ideas that I really admire so much. It has caused so much noise, but you will believe me that it is actually achieving the set goal of making people aware of their surrounding and projects around them.

Initially, I did not like the tour either. I saw it as a jamboree and unnecessary showmanship but when I saw the revelations from the tour on Nairaland, I picked interest.
I think that was the visit to plateau state. So many projects were on display by Jonah Jang. I never knew that Jang had done that much in that troubled state. I was shocked.
Then I decided to watch the plateau Town hall meeting on NTA. Both Maku and Jang were on hot seat answering questions from the large audience and viewers.
A whole lot of issues were raised ranging from insecurity, basic social amenities, abandoned projects, and the non payment of salaries to local government employees in the state.

I was happy with the way Jang handled the questions with much confidence and humor. Maku also did well. At the end of the day, people left the hall with satisfactory answers and that is the stuff participatory democracy is made of. Since that time, I don't miss it. But for some time now, I have not heard about the tour again.

Maduale:

The bolded caught my attention. He deserves commendation for pushing through that bill. I remember the politics that has delayed the formulation and passage of that bill for years.
Severally it was thrown out of the National Assembly and the media was agog with condemnations over the insincerity of government to pass the bill.
It was believed that the bill will usher in accountability and openness in the running of government. This is so because everybody can easily demand to have any information he deems fit about any ministry or department of govt.
I remember that the yaradua administration came under heavy criticsm for playing politics with the freedom of information bill. They were accused of dreading the bill while they moved very fast to accelerate the passage of official secrets Act. The official secrets Act was the direct opposite of FOI. It seeks to hide the very information which the FOI intends to expose.

If Maku came in and the FOI was passed, it's not mere coincidence. It could have been a product of courage and political will to let the FOI see the light of day. I salute him for that

A good submission Maduale... Pin point submission of this nature re worth appreciating so as to expose the Bias to job effort rather than make a blind argument.

diva_tosin:

Initially, I did not like the tour either. I saw it as a jamboree and unnecessary showmanship but when I saw the revelations from the tour on Nairaland, I picked interest.
I think that was the visit to plateau state. So many projects were on display by Jonah Jang. I never knew that Jang had done that much in that troubled state. I was shocked.
Then I decided to watch the plateau Town hall meeting on NTA. Both Maku and Jang were on hot seat answering questions from the large audience and viewers.
A whole lot of issues were raised ranging from insecurity, basic social amenities, abandoned projects, and the non payment of salaries to local government employees in the state.

I was happy with the way Jang handled the questions with much confidence and humor. Maku also did well. At the end of the day, people left the hall with satisfactory answers and that is the stuff participatory democracy is made of. Since that time, I don't miss it. But for some time now, I have not heard about the tour again.

Yea, the Good Governance Tour was indeed a good idea and truly a revelation to the many activities going on in various states, both the finished ones and the ones in progress.
That of Plateau States, thought most projects were FG's. Jang did a little...most of the state's own projects re even less cared about....

My own is that I want to know when Maku and co are going to come to Abia State. I cant wait. Let me see what this Thief Governor will showcase.

Without an iota of doubt, Maku has gone thru processes and events that have adequately nurtured and prepared him for this ardous task. His antecedents as a dogged and passionate Students' Union Leader, Journalist, Administrator, Deputy Governor, Minister of State have all contributed immensely to moulding arguably the best minister of information we have ever had. He is an avid reader and eloquent orator. He has in such a short time, public access to information has reached an unprecdented high. The penetration of govt information across various platforms and social media is massive and commendable. The good governance tour is already proving a master stroke as Government officials at various levels are striving to put in place lasting structures to showcase to the world and the greatest beneficiaries of Maku's excellent work are the people themselves.

I feel Maku's pain, the guy is so out of prominence with Abati and Okupe completely taken over his duties. Maku truly needs a good PR from his suck ups!

take dat: I feel Maku's pain, the guy is so out of prominence with Abati and Okupe completely taken over his duties. Maku truly needs a good PR from his suck ups!

. I don't think he needs Any PR, his good works speak for itself. The earlier you start understanding this facts, the better for you.

Nonnyz:
Yea, the Good Governance Tour was indeed a good idea and truly a revelation to the many activities going on in various states, both the finished ones and the ones in progress.
That of Plateau States, thought most projects were FG's. Jang did a little...most of the state's own projects re even less cared about....

Say what you know. Governor Jang has done a lot. I stay in jos. We never had it this good under Dariye. The only problem Jang has is insecurity but beyond that he is a performer.
You need to see the road he constructed from jos north to south via airport road. Rukuba road Satelite market and overhead bridge. 44, 000 FIFA standard stadium etc. All his jobs are built with good quality and will stand the test of time.

take dat: I feel Maku's pain, the guy is so out of prominence with Abati and Okupe completely taken over his duties. Maku truly needs a good PR from his suck ups!

And if this is all your dumb brain has to offer in response to the facts raised by the Op, then it's a pity. Imbecility cannot come in a better form.

Leadership should go siquano with pragmatism. Maku has been in the terrain of information management coupled with his experience as an anti-government activists during the military junta. These duo of features by far make him stand tall in this portfolio so I will say it's a round peg in a round hole. He has demonstrated practicality and had taken the more difficult steps to achieve a better result in a world where the order is changing.He has been able to tame arrant news agencies who feed on falsehood and deceit to our gullible populace by making them look more fooish by the exposition of truth and facts. He is no doubt in the class of Jerry Gana, but I give it to Maku.

Mandelaguy:
And if this is all your dumb brain has to offer in response to the facts raised by the Op, then it's a pity. Imbecility cannot come in a better form.

So having a "strong" presence on social media and a BB pin has translated to achievement? Sorry I don't celebrate mediocrity, yeye dey smell!

take dat: So having a "strong" presence on social media and a BB pin has translated to achievement? Sorry I don't celebrate mediocrity, yeye dey smell!

Perhaps you did not bother to read the op thoroughly. I did. D BB pin is not the main thing. How come you didn't see the paragraph on FOI ACT?
The Good Governance tour is remarkable too. What about the Ministerial platform that the Op raised? You didn't see that too? Try to purge yourself of bias and embrace objectivity.
Nobody is dancing Azonto either but just acknowledging the new strides recorded by an information Minister.

take dat: So having a "strong" presence on social media and a BB pin has translated to achievement? Sorry I don't celebrate mediocrity, yeye dey smell!

if you had the FMI pin on your contactlist then you would understand the fact that it is a huge medium in the dissemination of information,they endeavour to give a minute by minute update of all news across all boards,if I must tell you the truth,they are trying indeed,they try to enlighten the general public to all ongoing government projects and newly formulated policies.

Zutchy: if you had the FMI pin on your contactlist then you would understand the fact that it is a huge medium in the dissemination of information,they endeavour to give a minute by minute update of all news across all boards,if I must tell you the truth,they are trying indeed,they try to enlighten the general public to all ongoing government projects and newly formulated policies.

Don't mind the swalat. His mates are more interested in adding the pin but he would have none of that. He prefers to remain ignorant and naive.

Countryman93: Since he assumed office as Minister of Information in November 2010,  Labaran Maku has not left anyone in doubt of his resolve to have Nigerians experience new frontiers in the art of information dissemination.

Unlike his predecessors who bombarded the public with wasteful  propaganda and sloganeering with jingles and stickers, Maku opted for a more pragmatic approach of public information dissemination through multimedia platforms including the social media..

If it is this one alone, I must admit Maku is different. Those jingles were very irritating in the past. One just turns on the radio and the first thing you hear is noise about "good people. Great nation" it used to be very annoying and I always wondered how that could serve as information dissemination. I never like that rebranding idea. As far as I'm concerned, it was a waste of public funds. What was Akunyili rebranding? It was tantamount to deodorizing bull shit.
The present minister's approach looks far better. Especially the ministerial platform and good governance tour. It's far better to show us projects live and direct, as Maku is doing now, instead of rebranding on radio and television.

Among the Ministers who have piloted the Information sector of the economy, Mallam Maku remains the most efficient and competent of them...Jerry Gana (prof.) for me, was a parody, who said a lot but did little while the likes of Frank Jnr. was busy with 'self packaging; Aunty Dora, was better of at NAFDAC... The ingenious of Mallam Maku has created avenues for problem solving and obvious sanctity in the Ministry...

He is just a talkative..he sabi talk..why is it dat all minister of info sabi talk well well

The job of a minister of information in Nigeria is to relate lies to the public and i think Labaran Maku has done that very well. Bu i don't think he has done it better than Frank Nweke and Fani Kayode did.

ubandire:

If it is this one alone, I must admit Maku is different. Those jingles were very irritating in the past. One just turns on the radio and the first thing you hear is noise about "good people. Great nation" it used to be very annoying and I always wondered how that could serve as information dissemination. I never like that rebranding idea. As far as I'm concerned, it was a waste of public funds. What was Akunyili rebranding? It was tantamount to deodorizing bull shit.
The present minister's approach looks far better. Especially the ministerial platform and good governance tour. It's far better to show us projects live and direct, as Maku is doing now, instead of rebranding on radio and television.

GBAM!

Rubbish PR, so how does this put food on the table of a common Man? or how has it reduced corruption in the land? He is also part of the thiefing cabal.....the same Maku, during his days as Union Activist in the University was vehemently against the removal of fuel subsidy, its quite surprising that today this man is now championing removal of subsidy. Any1 dat is honourable, will not serve in GEJ govt.....govt of corruption

Chai see the low lives wey Maku dey employ O!!! I even dey curse Oronto and Omokri before say dem no sabi work, now this one na lowest of the lowest lives.

Jona fire Maku now!!! He is useless to your regime.

BTW Maku say e go compete with Harvard graduate. With that in empty head, my grandmama sef e no reach. Is it in how to carry propaganda, lies and drink 'fura de nunu'?

ballabriggs: Chai see the low lives wey Maku dey employ O!!! I even dey curse Oronto and Omokri before say dem no sabi work, now this one na lowest of the lowest lives.

Jona fire Maku now!!! He is useless to your regime.

BTW Maku say e go compete with Harvard graduate. With that in empty head, my grandmama sef e no reach. Is it in how to carry propaganda, lies and drink 'fura de nunu'?

with this your comment, it's not hard to tell that you are the low life.

Wtf?


Our army of gej muppets suddenly resurrected?

Is it appraisal time for maku?

Or is this a last desperate bid for xmas rice?