Information Officers, Agents Of Dev

The Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Hon Magnus Abe, has described information officers as agents of development, saying that their role is vital to the development of the state.
Hon Abe made the assertion yesterday while speaking as the special guest of honour during the closing ceremony of a three-day training workshop organised by the state Ministry of Information and Communications for information officers attached to ministries and local government councils.
He charged the graduands to be effective in their various places of work, adding that as information officers they were expected to assist government realise its objectives for the people.
The SSG urged the information officers to continue to improve themselves academically on their jobs, adding that “hard work always pays”.
While congratulating them, the SSG advised that they should desist from truancy and other vices.
Also speaking, the acting chairman, Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Information and Training, Hon Onari Brown advised the graduands to take their jobs seriously, adding that it behoved  them to adequately inform the society about government policies.
Hon Brown highlighted the dangers of misinformation on the  government, and urged them to perform professionally through their reportage.
He thanked the ministry for organising the three-day intensive training for its staff, adding that by the training, the  workers would be better equipped to do their jobs.
The lawmaker urged the Commissioner of Information and Commiuncations, Mrs  Ibim Semenitari to step up workers’ welfare, adding that such gesture would go a long way to make them work well.
Speaking, Mrs Ibim Semenitari stated that the training was aimed at improving the performance of the workers
Mrs Semenitari disclosed that plans were underway for local and foreign training of staff of parastatals, and called on the beneficiaries to ultilise the opportunity to better their lots.
She thanked the state government for providing funds for the training programme as well as the state House of Assembly Committee on Information and Training for support.
The occasion was used to honour outstanding staff of the ministry and its parastatals for the month of December, 2009 and January 2010.
Eighty-one information officers benefitted from the three-day training with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Godwin Mpi and heads of parastatals in the ministry  in attendance.