Chime Tasks Journalists On Positive Reporting

Worried over the high rate of negative publicity governments at all levels in Nigeria are currently getting from the press, the Enugu state governor, Barrister Sullivan Chime, has pleaded with journalists in the country to focus more on the positive side of government, rather than running those in authority down on pages of newspapers.

Governor Chime who made the plea in a chat with media executive in Enugu stated that the appeal had become necessary because the bad press had already created negative impression in the minds of people, especially those from the out side world about the activities of the federal, state and local governments in Nigeria.

His words: “I am pleading with the press not to run leaders in Nigeria down. Everything you read daily on pages of newspapers is negative. Good things equally happen in the country. People out side the country read newspapers published in the country, and this is not the kind of news that can attract foreign investors”.

Continuing, governor Chime further said: “Boko Haram is as bold as they are today because of the press. I plead on behalf of Nigeria that the press should stop running leaders in Nigeria down. This is not how to move the country forward. Let good things come from your papers. This is a special plea and I hope the press will heed it in the over all interest of the country”, he further pleaded.

Using the forum to react to the issue of insecurity in the state, governor Chime assured that no stone would be left unturned by his administration in addressing the matter, adding that the fast approaching Christmas would be peaceful in the state.

“We are not relenting, we are taking the issue of security seriously, warning criminals to turn a new leaf or be ready to face the consequences of their misdeed when apprehended”.

Reacting to series of allegations leveled against him in the media in recent times, the governor dismissed them with a wave of the hand, saying “That is the price we pay for occupying public office. If you see us, try to make us happy because many things make us unhappy.

On the sacking of non indigenes by the Abia state government, governor Chime , assured that the matter would soon be resolved, as the other four governors of the South East zone are now talking with a view to calling their Abia state colleague back to the right path.

The governor also used the forum to call on private developers to complete all the abandoned projects, as government would soon embark on revocation of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of lands with abandoned projects.