REPORT ON 2-DAY TRAINING FOR JOURNALISTS ON BUDGET TRACKING AND DATA-DRIVEN JOURNALISM

Abstract

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) went into a partnership with Premium Times Services Limited to conduct a training for reporters covering the activities of the Forum and select journalists from across 36 states of the federation. The training focus was on budget tracking and data-driven journalism, as well as introducing participants to activities and achievements of the NGF as a policy hub. Aside capacity building for the journalists to report more competently on governance and development, a key objective of the workshop was to improve relationship between the media and the Forum. The training took place on November 7th and 8th, 2019 at the Forum’s secretariat. A total of 40 participants attended the workshop, out of a total of 51 invited. The training was declared opened by the Director General of the NGF, Mr Asishana Okauru. Thirteen (13) technical sessions were held facilitated by experts in the field during the course of the two days the training lasted. The training was participatory and the journalists were particularly bemused by the operations of the NGF and areas of policy support the Forum offers to states. Participants made case for extension of the training to their colleagues, especially those reporting in states, in order to bridge knowledge gap and promote excellence.