Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications has initiated an advocacy programme to redress the flurry of negative stories peddled against the state by disgruntled elements.
The Permanent Secretary, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim said the ministry would visit all media houses in the state to drum up support for the campaign.
Briefing Management of Rivers State Television (RSTV), Wednesday, Nsirim said the onus was on the media to ensure its role as the people’s watchdog was not misapplied by selfish individuals to the detriment of the same people it was meant to protect.
As the first port of call, with management staff of the ministry, Nsirim urged RSTV staff to apply more consciousness in their sensitization programmes through Jingles, news reports, advertisement and announcements.
He charged the RSTV Management to ensure they redressed the negative narratives by detractors of the state.
The campaign with the theme: “Our state Our responsibility”, is an affront against enemies of the state bent on demarketing and disparaging the state through unguarded and false uncomplimentary remarks, Nsirim noted.
According to the permanent secretary, Rivers State is blessed with a God fearing man as governor, adding that Nyesom Wike succeeded in projecting Rivers State to an enviable height both locally and internationally.
Furthermore, he said that Wike had disarmed his detractors and proved them wrong that Rivers State was unsafe.
The governor, he added, went a step further to make a point empirically by receiving several awards locally and internationally and hosting numerous events in the state such as: 2016 Annual Conference and Gala Nite, 12TH Africa movie Academy Awards (AMA) in Port Harcourt 2016, 2016 Annual General Conference of Magistrates Association of Nigeria in Port Harcourt. Nigerian Guild of Editors Annual General Meeting 2016/2017, 56th NBA Annual General Conference, POP National Convention 2016, West African Architecture Fair, Rotary International Regional meeting, Yobo Testimonial International Match 2016 and African Bar Association (AFBA) Conference 2017.
Other events are: The 11th General Synod of the Church of Nigerian, Anglican Communion September 2017, POP Presidential Primary, Retreat of the House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency, 6th Anniversary of the Science Teachers Association of Nigerian (STAN), Miss University Africa 2017 in Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt Great Gospel Crusade by (CFAN) in 2018, RCCG Holy Ghost Rally, Port Harcourt, Super Eagles Versus Congo 2018, NAFEST 2018 in Port Harcourt, African Wrestling championship 2018, 2019 African Badminton Championship and the Turkish Airline Flights from Port Harcourt, 2019.
In her reaction, the General Manager, Rivers State Television, Mrs. Dafini Gogo-Abbey, thanked the Permanent Secretary for his visit and for choosing RSTV as the first port of call for this “all important programme in the state”.
Gogo-Abbey promised that the station would sit up to ensure that the objective of the permanent secretary and his team was achieved, adding that he was bringing to bear professionalism in the system as Chairman of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in Rivers State.
Directors from RSTV in attendance were, Director Administration, Victor Gorgor, Director of News/Current Affairs, Bon Woke, Director of Programmes, Goodluck Dagogo, Director Research/Planning, Mrs. Furo Iyagba, Director Procurement, Evans Adah and Mrs. Doreen Maxwell for Marketing.
While Directors from Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications who accompanied the permanent secretary were, Director Publications, Mr. Valentine Ugboma, Director Public Enlightenment, Mr. Obele Chu, Director of Admin, Austin Ezekiel-­Hart, Director PRS, Mr. Dango Orawari and Director ICT, Mr. Kenneth Okujagu.