By Amos Tauna
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Worried by the high rate of maternal deaths in Northern Nigeria, Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF), has called on governors in the region to take decisive steps toward addressing the issue.
Addressing the Second Annual Conference of African Media Development Foundation in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria, its Coordinator, Sekyen Dadik stressed the need for governments to also carry the Media along pointing out that the Foundation has realized that no development programme could succeed without the active engagement of the media.
“This is because the media has the capacity to influence and change individual’s behavior and lifestyle.
“The northern part of Nigeria still remain the greatest contributor to the alarming rate of maternal mortality in Nigeria, no doubt, this calls for all hands to be on deck to overcome the challenge, Nigeria, and especially, the Northern States must change their approach,” she advised.
According to her, the media must be engaged in developmental issues to influence the lifestyle of mothers and other key areas of the society, stressing that the theme ‘Role of media in Curbing Maternal Deaths, is timely and apt in order to address the problems being encountered.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council, Comrade Adamu Yusuf, commended AMDF for setting the pace towards addressing issues of maternal mortality and training of the media to set agenda.
He said that the Council would continue to support the AMDF in its continued determination to promote journalism .
The conference, attended by top government functionaries, Developing Partners, Civil Society Organizations and Media managers was supported by the Kaduna State Government, Pathfinder, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative, DEVCOMS and Nigeria Union of Journalists.
News Editor