Date: 2018-03-27

The Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfattah Ahmed, yesterday assured the International Press Institute (IPI) of support to ensure that Nigeria successfully hosted the IPI World Congress in June. The governor, while receiving a delegation of the IPI Congress Media and Publicity Committee on advocacy visit to his office in Ilorin, said he would sponsor journalists from the state to the IPI World Congress in Abuja in June.

He urged the Nigerian media to use the world assemblage of journalists in Abuja to promote positive developments in the country . According to him, "the IPI World Congress should be used to showcase the best of Nigeria and its uniqueness as a united and vibrant country despite its challenges". Ahmed stated that he believed in free press towards ensuring adequate information dissemination to the people within and outside the country.

Earlier, Chairman of the IPI Congress Media and Publicity Committee, Dr Tony Iredia, had sought the support of the state government for journalists from the state to attend the world congress in Abuja, which will feature among others, trainings and interactions with media experts across the globe.

He also stressed the need for a free press that would be alive to its constitutional responsibility of making the government accountable to the people. He said there could only be a free press when journalists were not harassed by security agents while they are performing their duties and if they are given the necessary tools to work and are timeously paid their salaries.