LAGOS, Nigeria, January 14, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
The National Information Officer of the United Nations Information centre (UNIC), Lagos, Mr Oluseyi Soremekun, has called on Nigerian Media to give their full support to the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in continuation of the unflinching support they accorded the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the past fifteen years.
He said this earlier this week during a radio programme, ‘Civil Society (C.S) Weekly’ on Radio One 103.5 FM. Commending the media for their contribution to the success of the MDGs, Mr Soremekun acknowledged that the media remained a strategic partner of the United Nations in its quest to disseminate the SDGs to the generality of Nigerians.
He urged the various media organisations in the country to regard the SDGs campaign as a public service geared towards improving the society. ‘The media should develop variety of programmes within the framework of the SDGs to widen the knowledge base of their audiences.
Speaking on the plans of UNIC Lagos to publicise the SDGs, the National Information Officer disclosed that the SDGs have been translated into four local languages: Pidging English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba to enhance the understanding of the SDGs and its goals and for greater uptake and buy-in by the people.
“Besides,” he continued, “UNIC Lagos on 1 January 2016, launched the ’17 – 17 SDGs campaign’ on the social media to reach the bulk of youths who socialize every second on the social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.” He added that the campaign was meant to highlight the 17 goals of the SDGs in the first 17 days of every month from January to December.
Mr Soremekun rounded up the radio interview with a brief insight into UNIC Lagos activities for this year, which according to him, included school outreach, media outreach, programmes on climate change and the SDGs as well as observance of International Days.
