Buki Ponle, Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), has assured staff of the agency of improved welfare and better equipment to enable them to discharge their duties  efficiently.

Mr Ponle stated this while addressing staff of the Nasarawa State office of the agency in Lafia on Thursday.

According to him, staff welfare and procurement of high quality equipment are pivotal to ensuring that the staff of the agency discharge their duties properly.

He said the vital roles staff welfare and good equipment played in bringing out the best out of staff informed management’s decision to prioritise and address the two issues so that NAN could continue to churn out standard news reports for the benefit of its numerous subscribers, and by extension, the general public.

“Staff welfare and procurement of high quality equipment are very important in getting the best out of the agency. So,we are addressing the two issues seriously.

“Thank God, we are getting somewhere. Sooner than later, we will benefit from the fruits of our labour.

“I am happy that you have exercised patience. Please, continue to bear with us. We will address these issues and others soon,” he said.

The managing director also assured staff of the agency that training and retraining of staff had also been prioritised to bring out the best in them and ensure that the editorial output from NAN was of international standards.

He, however, urged the staff not to rely on NAN alone but should initiate efforts of training themselves, especially through the internet, so as to ensure they were up to date with current changes on how to churn out objective and well balanced news reports.

“Even as NAN continues to work hard to ensure you get adequate training and retraining on a regular basis, don’t wait for NAN to do everything. You are your best trainer,” he said.

Mr Ponle further explained that in spite of the numerous problems he met since his assumption as the managing director of the agency, some of the problems had been addressed to create a better working environment for staff.

He then urged the staff in the state to continue to put in their best so as to ensure that NAN remained relevant and highly sought after by newsmakers for activities requiring media coverage.

“We are here to thank you first and foremost for the efforts you are putting in ensuring NAN remains one of the most reliable and respected media outfits in the country.

“Then we will visit the state government under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Sule to thank him for the support he has been giving to NAN to carry out its duties in the state,” he said.

In his welcome address, Mohammed Baba-Busu, the NAN State Correspondent in Nasarawa, appreciated the managing director for finding time to visit the Nasarawa State office of the agency, in spite of his tight schedules.

Mr Baba-Busu used the opportunity to appeal to management of the agency to expedite steps in building a permanent office for staff of the agency in the state.

He assured the MD and management of the agency that staff in the state were committed to their duties and would continue to work hard to meet the expectations of the agency.

The highlight of the meeting was an interactive session between the MD and staff of the agency in state during which the staff discussed their challenges and how to work better for effective service delivery.

Mr Ponle was accompanied on the visit by the agency’s Director of Finance And Accounts, Dele Ojo, the Director of Admin And Human Resource Management, Abdulhadi Khaliel, the Director of Planning, Research And Statistics, Gbemi Erinoso-Babalola, the Special Assistant to the MD, Mufutau Ojo, and Lawal Sale, Head of Protocol and Liason. 

(NAN)