The Rivers State Government has reiterated that all its policies and programmes are hinged on the principle of equity and justice for all.
The State Chief Executive, Chie Nyesom Wike reiterated this during the 3rd National Conference of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, in Port Harcourt, last Monday.
Speaking through his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo , Wike said his administration was totally committed to ensure all decisions are taken for the overall benefit of all residents of the state irrespective of clime or creed.
“Rivers State is hospitable to all as long as you are a law abiding and responsible citizen, you can aspire to the highest level you can attain, without discrimination and that is what we wish for in our beloved nation Nigeria”, Wike stressed.
Wike, who said he believes in the unity and indivisibility of Nigeria, regretted that the unity of the country was being threatened as a result of self-destructive tendencies like ethnic chauvinism, religious intolerance, brazen disregard for the rule of law and nepotism, adding that the Federal Government of Nigeria seems to be fanning these embers of disunity through its perceived actions and in actions.
“How can we explain a situation where almost all the heads of security agencies as well as critical national institutions are headed by people from a particular ethnic nationality and religious faith, in a country which prides itself as a secular state and believes in Federal Character, when it comes to the appropriation of positions”, he said.
He further said a situation where some sections of the country are treated as privileged group while other sections are treated with disdain and impunity leaves much to be desired and must be quickly addressed to engender equilibrium and a sense of belonging to all.
In his keynote address, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who saluted the courage of the media, said the history of our nationhood right from the beginning, and cannot be complete without a place of pride for the Nigeria media.
He praised great patriots like Dele Giwa and Chima Ubani, who paid the supreme price towards building a nation called Nigeria.
Ikpeazu said the media should strive to promote national unity and not division, advocated for a society where the weak, the poor, the voiceless and everybody can aspire and speak what he wants to say and aspire to become, what he wants to become, irrespective of where he comes from, his religion or other primordial considerations.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke through the Head, NTA Port Harcourt Network Centre, Bosade Adebayo, called for commitment from everybody, and every journalist to write for the oneness of the Nigeria, and also broadcast for the peace, sustainability and development of the nation, Nigeria.
The National President of NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo, had earlier said the union was hosting the conference in order to achieve a national consensus that would help facilitate Nigeria’s response to the growing wave of insecurity, noting that the defeat of terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities while attempting to achieve democratic stability requires the concentration of the mind, especially the invaluable role of the media.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to without delay, reverse its decision to ban Twitter activities in the country which he said was completely at variance with democracy, which Nigeria had signed onto.
In their separate submissions, a former President of NBA, Chief O.C.J. Okocha; a former NUJ President, Sani Zorro; a former NUJ Lagos Chairman & Director of IPC, Lanre Arogundade, and a media guru, Richard Akinola, stressed the need to rescue journalism profession from untimely collapse in view of different economic and political situations in the country.
Arogundade warned that “we’ll wake up one day, Federal Government would have banned all Nigerians from all the social media platforms including; Facebook, Whatsapp, others.
“How can you ban media organisations from using twitter; now NBC has written all broadcast media to stop using twitter, to even delete their Twitter handles. I have never seen this kind of thing before; all these amount to danger to freedom press.”
Zorro called for caution on the side of all those who were involved in the twitter ban saga.
Highlight of the occasion was the induction of the State Chief Executive, Chief Nyesom Wike into the NUJ Hall of Fame for his outstanding achievements in leadership and infrastructure development.