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By Jon Egie
Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has been asked to begin convening regular interactive press briefings, an event where a sitting Governor engages media practitioners in the state, as had been customary with his predecessors, and sustain it.
The call was contained in a Communique issued at the end of Congress of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council held in Asaba, Wednesday, May 29.
The Communique said the call became necessary so as to sustain the existing relationship between the State Government and media practitioners in the state.
One year after assumption of office as Governor, the Oborevwori administration has not convened a meeting with media practitioners through the NUJ to enlighten the public with the administration’s policies, projects and other issues of governance that relate to the public good.
This is a far departure from the practise of his predecessors who used the monthly or quarterly media interaction sessions to inform and educate the public on government activities during which they were appraised or criticised by the media. But one year after taking oath of office as Governor, journalists and members of the public have been kept in the dark about the activities of the state government in line with its campaign promises and actualization of its MORE Agenda.
The Communique drew the Governor’s attention to the constitutional role of the media in a Democracy as contained in Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution (1999) as amended.
Among other issues, Congress also called on the state governor to compel the Delta State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, to without further delay, effect the dismantling of road blocks that have become hazardous to road users and tax payers, especially the section of the Okpanam Road in front of the Police Headquarters, particularly at night when it is completely closed, and other police divisions across the state.
Congress equally charged the state government to come up with strategies, policies and programmes to ameliorate the economic hardship that Deltans are facing in view of the skyrocketing food, transportation and accommodation prices, including tuition fees in school.
Congress lauded the state government for taking proactive steps to generate power for Deltans in line with the new law of power liberalisation, and urged the Delta State House of Assembly to expedite action in passing the Delta State Electricity Power Sector Bill that is before it into law.
The Communique was signed by Comrade Churchill Oyowe (Chairman ) and Comrade Victor Sorokwu (Secretary) .
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