 Media practitioners have been advised to, as a matter of duty, create time to discuss governance especially as it relates to and how to ensure it can effectively make the government implement track and account for its policies. This was the topic of discourse at a media executive's roundtable, organized by the Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn, Pearl, in collaboration with UK aid, a UK government-funded organization held in Victoria Island Lagos. At the event with the theme, enhancing governance and service delivery at the sub-national level, leveraging on the ongoing constitutional amendment exercise, the organizer Dr. Adia Ode, in a welcome address, encouraged journalists not to be biased in their news reportage, as this will put the government on its toes as by the delivery of the dividends of democracy. And so we thought it was important that we get media executives together to talk about these bills, to talk about current issues relating to governance at that sub-national level and really instigate their consciousness about the need to play their role in shaping public opinion. Delivering the keynote address, Sonny Irabbo, helped on why state governments must ensure the financial autonomy of their local government. The media should be the watchdog for the clearly financial ambiguity of the law governing the local governments. The media should serve as ombudsman on behalf of the people, making such governance get to the grassroots of the people. The panelist, some of whom are one-time media persons, also lent their voices, saying that the media should do more in putting the issue of constitutional review on the front banner. At the moment, the best thing we can do is what the National Assembly has done by looking at Section 7, tearing it apart from beginning to the end, creating autonomy for the local government and Section 162 was also tinkered with to address the use of the joint federal state local government account. The idea of having that account is to enable the state to put money in it. This new provision or bill is actually a very good one because if it's able to give them that formal recognition as a third year, then this financial autonomy bill also passes, then it becomes easier. But the major problem lies with the state governors who don't want to let go because they see local governments as being part of the country's apparatus of the state. What makes a governor to be a state governor powerfully? Forgive me, I wasn't trying to make excuses for the media. But what I have said is that the media needs help for this job to be done. Let people like the legislature and everybody, let them be facilitators for journalists to be able to do their job. We have the capacity. Dr. Ruben Abate in his presentation said many in the legislative arm of government do not seem thoroughly aware of their responsibilities. Now many of these government, they don't even know what these societies are about. They are distracting. So if there is any way in which they can be engaged, that will be useful. The second thing also is that for journalists, I think more of these societies should be conducted, not just in Lagos. They may be at Zona Lagos. The convergence of media parties, adding attendance professionals from the print, radio and television. The chief of staff to the deputy senate president, Otif Ibuzo, a representative of special advisor media and publicity to the president, Biordo Oladujoye, among others. Panels say this awareness will continue until the Nigerian government listens to the yannings of the people. Paul George, plus TV News. News Updates