PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU MEDIA CENTER PAYS COURTESY VISIT TO THE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AGENCY TO STRATEGICALLY TACKLE FAKE NEWS AND BOOST PUBLICITY OF IMPACT
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has over the years committed to collaboration and partnership with key stakeholders in the Energy Space. This partnerships have yielded positive results towards achieving the mandate of the Agency and communicating the impact of the Agency to the media and Nigerians as a whole.
The REA received a team from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Center headed by the Convener of the Center who is the Special Adviser to the President on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, on Tuesday, 14th May, 2024 at the Headquarters of the Agency. The team were received by the Ag. Managing Director/CEO of REA, the Executive Directors of the Agency and some top Management Staff.
The purpose of the visit was to discuss collaborative strategies for communications and publicity of the achievements and impact of the Agency under the stewardship of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President. This collaboration will facilitate to change the narrative of fake and negative news to a narrative of renewed hope and impact through electrification programmes and initiatives of the Agency as enshrined in the new Electricity Act.
The Convener of the Tinubu Media Center, Olusegun Dada gave a brief about the works of the Media Center. While speaking, Olusegun Dada congratulated the new MD/CEO and Executive Management of the Agency on their appointment and also highlighted the need for collaboration with the Agency in communicating the achievements and impact of the Agency. Similarly, the Convener commended the MD and new management’s leadership and the efforts on fight against fake news and changing the narrative of the Agency positively. He stated, “there are so many good things the agency has done over the years and it is very important to showcase these achievements. We owe the President the duty to spotlight the good things the Agency and this administration is doing in changing the lives of Nigerians”. Olusegun Dads also reiterated the willingness of the Media Center to work with the Agency to publicize the power sector in order to report positive results and impact to the President and to Nigerians.
The Managing Director/CEO of the REA welcomed the Media Center Team and commended the team for this visit. The new management briefed the Media Center team on the vision and direction of the Agency towards fighting negative news and changing the lives of Nigerians through electrification as mandated by the Electricity Act. The MD stated, “One key proud moment of the agency is that wherever you go around the country, you will see an REA project there”. The MD appreciated the offer of the Media Center is extending its hands of collaboration to the Agency in fighting fake news and publicity of the Agency positively.
While speaking on the programmes and initiatives of the Agency, Abba Aliyu stated “we have been able to sign the biggest funding for electrification in the world which is a 750 million dollars funding from the World Bank for the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) programme”. Furthermore, the MD also briefed the team on some of the upcoming commissioning of projects implemented by the Agency through its programmes and initiatives such as the Energizing Education Programme, Rural Electrification Fund, Capital Projects and others.
The MD/CEO of REA further stated that all the projects implemented by the agency aims to increase energy access to sustainably impact students, health officials, business and productive users such as farmers as well as rural dwellers while ensuring gender balance. Abba Aliyu added that, REA will unveil the new roadmap of the agency in due course and will invite the Media Center to this unveiling.
The MD reiterated his commitment towards fulfilling on the task ahead, he stated “I sleep and wake up with the intention to give my all towards fulfilling the trust the President has instilled in us to deliver on the promises of this administration to Nigerians.”
