From Hir Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The Acting Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency, (BSEMA), Sir. James Iorpuu, has called on the media in the state to continue to partner with the agency in it quest to better the lots of persons of concern saying support of the media is key to effective and efficient management of disasters in the state.
Iorpuu stated this during a parley with media practitioners covering the activities of his agency in Makurdi.
He said both the print, broadcast and credible online media are strategically important in restoring trust and tackling fake news during emergencies as well as creating awareness/ sensitization to the public before and during disasters.
He said he was optimistic that his partnership with the media would help to fight misinformation and attract the needed assistant of more donor partners for persons of concerns in the state.
Sir. Iorpuu explained that his meeting with the newsmen was to maintain a bond based on trust and honesty with them as well as appreciate their partnership with BSEMA.
He appealed to them to sustain their professionalism and balance reportage and also act as watchdog to public office holders and the society.
He listed some of his achievement within his short time in office as; recruitment of 129 new staff, creation of more departments and websites among other vital units including Relief and Rehabilitation, Health and Emergency Education to enable the agency function optimally.
He also solicited the support of the media in the area of dissemination of laudable interventions by Benue State Government through BSEMA to the public especially the ongoing Biometric Registration done by the state government in collaborating with the International Organization for Migration, (IOM) to get a verifiable data for proper planning of the return and resettlement of IDPs to their ancestral homes.
Describing the continued stay of IDPs in camps as a source of worry to the state government, Iorpuu explained that the Biometric data capture will aid the government to know the actual number of IDPs in the state and budget properly for their return.
He explained that the ongoing biometric exercise is the first process to return and resettle the IDPs and urged the youths and all stakeholders to support the team to allow the displaced persons participate fully.
In their separate remarks, the Chairman of Correspondent Chapel, Emmanuel Antswen, DG Brothers FM, Elaigwu Abutu, GM Harvest FM, Christiana Ameh, all commended Sir. James Iorpuu for initiating the interface describing it as first in its kind.
They all expressed their readiness to sustain the support to state government through his office and also act as watchdog to the public office holders and society.