By Barth Ozah
Chief Press Secretary to Delta State Governor, Mr Charles Aniagwu has said his intention was to help repositioned Journalism so that journalists in the state can earn more respect like there counterpart in other profession, describing Journalists as very vital for the deepening of the nation's democracy.
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Mr Charles Aniagwu, the Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor addressing journalists at the press centre Asaba, during a visit to INMC.
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Mr Aniagwu made the promise when he met with members of the Indigenous Newspapers and Magazines Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council in Asaba.
According to him, Journalists by the traditional roles they play, ensures that those in authority engages in actions that are beneficial to the electorate, noting that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's administration accord members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm a vital position in the delivery of his administration's SMART agenda.
"Journalism is a noble profession hence the need for us to always comport ourselves in the cause of our duties. By the end of this year the NUJ state secretariat will be completed. I want us to also see how we can merged some of the Chapel in the state because a situation where almost every communities in the have an NUJ chapel to me is not professional. I want to also assure you that very soon as funds increases we will consider training and retraining of Journalists in the state."CPS added.
While pleading for stronger collaboration between the press and the state government, he expressed Governor Okowa's determination to partner media practitioners especially indigenous newspapers in the state towards promoting even development across the state.
The Chief Press Secretary stated that despite the dwindling resources which has affected all sectors of the nation's economy, Governor Okowa has embarked on massive projects designed to make Deltans self sufficient disclosing that all existing Technical Colleges in the state were in different stages of rehabilitation as they will serve as centres to equip the youths with necessary skills to succeed in life.
He added that the technical colleges at Ofagbe, Sapele and Agbor have been totally overhauled while that of Ogor, Isele-Uku and Kwale have been captured in the 2016 budget and will be executed this year, disclosing that apart from the technical colleges, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's administration has also completed a number of roads - the Ibrahim Kefas Road and drainage, with an expansion to old Oleh/Emede as well as to Uzere Junction, the Captain White road Agbor, Christ Embassy Road Asaba, Jeddo, Egbokodo, Omadino road, Palace Road at Owa Oyibu, Ozanogogo road, Oteri Township road, among numerous others.
To the CPS, the projects were aside different empowerment programmes which a lot of Deltans have benefitted from.
While commending the Indigenous Chapel for reaching out to people at the grassroots, Mr Aniagwu said Governor Okowa places high premium on the Indigenous Chapel hence he appointed a Special Assistant on Community Newspapers to handle issues relating to them.
Aniagwu, who used the occasion to express his appreciation to the Delta State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Norbert Chiazor and his South-South counterpart, Comrade Edward Akpati Ogude, for their support charged members of the union to be objective in their reportage.
He admonished them against sensational journalism and announced that his office will assist the Indigenous Chapel to secure an apartment for their secretariat.
He urged members of the Chapel to be creative in their writings assuring that Governor Okowa's administration would not gag Journalists.
"This administration will always be press friendly, because the press has a lot of roles to play in a democratic setting, but, my dear colleagues, while you engage in constructive criticism of government, know that there is an open-door policy whereby you can verify your facts and balance your reports before publishing," he emphasized.
The Governor's image maker used the occasion to assure members of the chapel and all journalists of progressive partnership.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Chapel, Mr Spence Idhigiri commended the Chief Press Secretary for the meeting which he described as novel in the history of NUJ in the state, stating that journalists will always carry out their functions without bias.