Info Perm Sec Hints On Plan To Fence The Tide Premises  … Training For Information Officers

The Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications says it has secured approval from the government for the fencing of the premises of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of the Tide Newspaper.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Sir Honour Sirawoo, who disclosed this during a courtesy call on him by Executive of The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, further said the Ministry has also secured approval for the training of about one hundred information officers.

 Sir Sirawoo said the ministry is working hard to start its online publication, adding that to this end, the Ministry’s website, which has been moribund for sometime now, is being revived.

According to him, “We are going to start an online publication. We feel that this ministry can generate revenue just like the media houses.

“Because the only difference between them and us is that we have a full administrative structure, and if we expect them to generate revenue, we should also generate revenue.

“I think they have commenced the process of working on the website.”

The Permanent Secretary further stressed the need for staff of the ministry and its parastataals to be regular at work, adding that the ministry under his watch will not condone absenteeism and lateness to work.

“You know that when you come to work, you must do the right thing even if you are my friend”, he warned.

He said Information Officers at the local government areas must work as a way to realize their expertise, adding that they must report events in their areas to enable the ministry properly inform people about the state.

Meanwhile, Sir Sirawoo has called for collaboration between the NUJ and the ministry.

“We must work together to see that we enlighten people on what is appropriate and what is not appropriate.

“I also want to say that as a union we serve the government of the day, even if you have to critique the government you must get your facts right”, he said.

The Permanent Secretary, who blamed successive leaderships of the union for the dilapidated nature of the NUJ Secretariat, said time has come for  the union leadership to work out an arrangement whereby the union’s secretariat can be made to generate revenue and income for the union.

He said one way of doing this is by leasing the edifice to private investors for its management and maintenance.

Sirawoo congratulated the union’s leadership for the peaceful outcome of the just-concluded NUJ election and urged the leadership to work as a team for the realization of set goals.

Earlier, Chairman of the NUJ, Rivers State Council, Comrade Paul Bazia, described the posting of Sir Sirawoo to the Ministry of Information and Communications as a home coming.

Comrade Bazia expressed optimism that Permanent Secretary will do well in the ministry, especially with his background as a cub reporter who rose from the rank and file to a Permanent Secretary.

“You have grown through the ranks from a cub reporter to become a Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, covered NDDC, and various beats.

“You rose to become chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Rivers State on two occasions, President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, and you have become a Permanent Secretary.

“You have vast experience on the field as a journalist, and you are in deployment to the Ministry of Information and Communications at this time”,  he said.

Mr. Bazia said the NUJ under his leadership is working hard to change the narrative of the state, adding in doing this the state-owned media houses must be revived to meet up its responsibilities.

According to the Chairman, “We are going to showcase the areas where the state has strength and where there are investment opportunities.

“We plan to also host a media summit later in the year around September to also look at the opportunities that we have in the blue economy, the tourism sector”, he said.

John Bibor & Edidiong Johnson