Wike Tasks Media On Rivers, N’Delta Dev

As encomiums flowed freely like torrents at the 15th anniversary celebration of the National Network newspaper at the weekend in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, challenged the media in Rivers State in particular and in the South-South in general to change the negative narrative about the state and the entire Niger Delta region.
Represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, the governor alerted that “There is an orchestrated campaign by cynics and arm chair critics to paint the Niger Delta black”, insisting that the media in the state and the entire South-South must rise against the ugly trend.
Reeling out the numerous contributions of the region to Nigeria’s development, Wike warned that, “We must not allow naysayers to rob Rivers State and the South-South of what God has ordained for us.”
Wike commended the management and staff of the National Network newspaper for staying afloat for 15 years, saying that it demonstrated the fact that “Rivers people are industrious and can run their businesses well.”
Harping on the imperatives of Development Journalism, the governor charged the media in the South-South to emulate the National Network newspaper, which he said, has occupied a pride of place in Development Journalism.
Wike noted that the state government has enjoyed robust relationship with the media in the state in the past four and half years, and assured them of government’s continued assistance to enable them operate effectively.
Speaking later, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim urged “the media to align with Wike’s visionary leadership,” describing the governor as “a trail blazer in the management of human and material resources.”
He listed the state government’s achievements in infrastructural development, arguing that the N21billion earmarked for the construction of three flyovers at Rumuokoro, Garrison and Artillery within 16 months simultaneously at a time of national economic crunch, only shows Wike’s genuine desire to serve Rivers people.
“We have a leader who is eager to leave a worthy legacy in the state, and that is why the media must join hands with him (Wike) to sell the policies and programmes designed in his NEW Vision mandate,” Nsirim charged.
In his speech at the occasion, the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bro Felix Obuah, commended the newspaper for its responsible journalism and for providing a veritable marketplace of ideas for the cross-pollination and cross-fertilization of views that have helped to shape public policies that have impacted positively on Rivers people and the South-South in general.
Obuah noted the newspaper has been a veritable took of social engineering, saying that the PDP, like other well-meaning Nigerians, would continue to share in its vision and mission to enable it serve the people better.
He commended the Publisher, Pastor Jerry Needam, for his doggedness, sagacity and tenacity of purpose, saying that the newspaper has always published the truth no matter whose ox was gored.
Former Rivers State Information and Communications Commissioner, Barrister Emma Okah, Senator Lee Maeba, and renowned Professor of Economics, Okey Onuchukwu, were among several speakers who paid tributes to the newspaper at the event, which was hallmarked by the presentation of awards to some distinguished personalities.

Victor Tew