FG launches information app next week

By The Citizen

The Federal Government, on Thursday, announced that it would launch its Information App (FGIAPP) next week as part of the efforts to enhance dissemination of information regarding government activities.

Already, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed has met with resident information officers from ministries, departments and agencies ahead of the launch in order to prepare them on methodology of information dissemination of happenings in the country from government perspective.

He told them that with the information app, the Federal Government would leverage on new media to communicate government's policies and programmes to the people anywhere in the world and on real time basis.

The minister claimed that the activities of the present administration were hugely under-reported, hence the need to align with global trend in information sharing.

Alhaji Mohammed who stressed the essence of rich content to make the app viable noted that necessary training and work tools would be provided for the information officers in order to build their capacity and ensure effective contributions from their respective ministries, departments and agencies.

'We as a government and as Information Ministry will leverage on the unique technology to inform the world about what we are doing.

'The information architecture has changed completely. Today, the story is very different because we have the new media and unless you show a very strong presence there, you are not communicating to the world,' he said.

Speaking, the App developer, Olawole Falope, alleged that most of the information being put out about Nigeria was either false or fabricated, hence the need for the government to reverse the trend.

According to him, the app will be another veritable platform for the country to blow its trumpet.

He said, 'The truth is if you heard only one side of the story, you make your decisions based on just one side. It's about time that our great nation Nigeria starts to speak and we have to speak to the world.'