By Babatunde Tiamiyu
The need for more collaborations among various stakeholders on issues concerning Socio-behavioural change towards a healthy and safe human society formed consensus of participants at the last meeting of Oyo State Mobilization Technical Committee, SOMTEC, meeting for the year 2023, held in Ibadan.
The SOMTEC partners which include, Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Women and Children Advocate groups, religions groups and the media, called for more intensified efforts on the part of stakeholders and political will from government to achieve the set objectives of the forum.
In a remark, UNICEF’s Consultant in Oyo State, Mr Samuel Olatunji who appreciated SOMETEC partners for their commitments, emphasised the need for more joint actions in the planning and execution of various programmes from the stable of SOMTEC.
Declaring the meeting open, the Director of UNICEF Programmes under Oyo State Ministry of Information, Mr. Rotimi Babalola, commended the participants, especially the media for ensuring that messages and programmes advancing the cause of SOMTEC’s thematic Areas reached the public.
On her part, UNICEF Project Officer, Oyo State Ministry of information and orientation, Mrs Adeola Adewole, the reason for the meeting was to carry out a hostlic review of SOMTEC’s activities in the outgoing year with a view to setting agenda for the coming year.
The various stakeholders and partners later gave reports of their activities including successes recorded, progress made and challenges after the July 2023 meeting of the group and a projection of SOMTEC’s action plan for 2024.
Speaking on behalf of other Media Partners at the forum, General Manager, Pensioners’ FM, Dr. Babatunde Tiamiyu, called on stakeholders to always synergise with the media on their Programme and activities for effective reportage.
