The conference of 57 Chief Press Secretaries (CPS) to all the 57 Local Government Chairmen in all the Local Government and Development Areas of Lagos State held at the Spicery Hotel, Jibowu in Yaba Local Council Development Area from November 20 to 22, 2020.
The objective was to explore new ideas and upgrade their media status in their various job tasks.
A founding member of the association, Saheed Akanbi Ade Afonja, who is also the Senior Special Assistant on Youth Matters to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, lauded the impact of the CPS at the grassroots.
He said: “The regulation of CPS remuneration to a standard rate and upgrading the office to supervisory level will be of great benefit to us all, we would try to push that.
"As the grassroots CPS, I urge you all to update the people about Lagos State developmental activities and the Ministry of Youth on information and plans that would empower and develop the Greater Lagos youths".
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Lagos State, Hon. Gboyega Akosile also urged the participants to curb fake news.
“Dissemination of fake news is detrimental to all of us and the impact of such is not only on the government, because the aftermath of fake news is a destruction which to a large extent affects the society, " he said.
Also speaking at the event was veteran journalist, Citizen Jones of TVC popular programme, "Journalists Hang-Out." In his comprehensive delivery, Jones stated the negative effects of fake news and steps to be taken in order to avert it as a CPS.
"A CPS is a short window of the chairman", he submitted.
Mr. Emmanuel Bamgboye, Chairman of Mushin Local Government also urged all the CPS to be proactive in disseminating information to the public. “Your job is very valuable, this is the era of information, we need publicity at all levels of government”, he noted.
He urged the media aides to cooperate with their bosses and give adequate publicity to allow the residents know the level of development in the community.
Afonja expressed his desire on the need for the establishment of a Youth Affairs Department across the 57 local governments and LCDAs in Lagos State.
“Efforts are in progress, as there is a need to establish a Youth Affairs department in all local governments and LCDAs to make the job easier.
“So that if there’s anything happening in any council concerning the youth, it will be easier to contact the supervisor on youth affairs in that council to fix the development collectively," he said.
Akanbi added that there was the need to review the remuneration of media aides for council chairmen in the state.
