From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, has planned to create a Media Village where all state-owned media houses would be located.
Office spaces, technical, power, other operational facilities and staff quarters are to be part of the ambitious project.
The large expanse of land at the Elelenwo transmission stations of both RSTV and Radio Rivers, is being proposed for this laudable project.
This hint was dropped by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, while playing host to the leadership of the Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
Johnson said: “The purpose of this move is to minimize the cost of operations of the outfits, increase efficiency and optimize the utilization of facilities through colocation as well as build synergy for effective performance, while creating some economic, social and commercial benefits, especially for people of the area where the activities of the proposed media hub shall be sited in particular, and people of the state in general.”
He thanked the NUJ, Rivers State Council on behalf of the state government for identifying with the Siminalayi Fubara-led nascent administration.
The Information Commissioner noted that fierce war has been raging in the media against Governor Siminalayi Fubara for some time, and charged members of the fourth estate of the realm to be professional to accurately situate the unfolding development the way it is for posterity.
He informed that Governor Fubara loves journalists, pointing out that the state Chief Executive is open to a robust, cordial working relationship with media practitioners.
To buttress his point, he cited the governor’s swift response to the recent requests from the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), when they were preparing for their recent national conference/election, where Lillian Okonkwo-Okagu was reelected as National Vice President.
Johnson also said that his recent familiarization visits to government-owned media houses and others was aimed at building better working relationship with the media in order to promote a healthy government-media partnership.
He used the opportunity to disclose that plans had been concluded for Governor Fubara to hold a media parley with journalists soon, to interact with them as partners-in-progress.
“To this end, the Rivers State Government under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, is determined to make a clear departure from the past dispensation, when they (media practitioners) were unfairly treated, by ensuring that the media play critical roles in the government’s pragmatic development agenda.”
He declared that the NUJ needs proper support to serve its preeminent leadership role as the galvanizing force in the media space.
Johnson noted that the recent upward review of salaries of civil servants in the state, among other people-oriented policies initiated by Governor Fubara were clear indications of realistic commitment of the governor to change the fortune of Rivers people and those resident and doing business in the state, which according to him, will ultimately become visible to all at the end of the day.
He, therefore enjoined all and sundry to join hands with the state government to build a better Rivers State.
Commenting on the ongoing political imbroglio in the state, Johnson said that; “We are not in any kind of inter-ethnic debacle. Therefore, no ethnic sentiment should be introduced into our system.”
Earlier in his speech, Chairman, NUJ Rivers State Council, Stanley Job Stanley, who led the delegation, congratulated Johnson on his appointment into the Rivers State Executive Council by Governor Fubara as the Chief Information Manager of the state, describing it as well deserved.
He commended the Commissioner for continuing in fraternizing with the NUJ, even after his appointment as a Commissioner, noting that Johnson was, in deed, a good member of the NUJ family.
The NUJ chairman also applauded the Information and Communications Commissioner for his swift action in visiting government-owned media houses to ascertain their condition, with the aim of addressing their challenges for efficient and optimal performance.