Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has charged media practitioners against de-marketing Abia through uncomplimentary reportage but rather engage in constructive criticism.
The Governor who gave the charge when he recieved a delegation of the Nigeria Union of Journalists,(NUJ) Abia State Council led by its Chairman, Comrade Victor Ndukwe at Government House Umuahia, enjoined journalists in the state to help create a better society through their various medium.
Ikpeazu who highlighted the role of the media in emerging democracy said the media has the ability in perception management and social re-engineering adding that he relies on the media to propagate the achievements of the state government under his leadership and the potentials of the state.
“Let us not join in de-marketing our state. Demarketing Abia has a way of bringing a curse on our state, it is our duty to market our state and engage in conductive criticism where necessary”, Ikpeazu said.
The Governor who used the visit to give a scorecard of his achievements in road construction, 30 year Abia Long Term Development Plan among others said the state Government is collaborating with the United Nation (UN) to design a master plan for Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia maintaining that his administration has improved on what it met on ground.
He noted that the relative peace and security sustained by his administration in the state has attracted Direct Foreign Investment which has in turn created employment opportunities for Abia Youths.
Governor Ikpeazu congratulated Comrade Victor Ndukwe for emerging the State Council Chairman of the Union and assured that his administration would ensure the completion of the NUJ Permanent Secretariat before the end of his tenure.
He urged the leadership of the Union to make an assessment of the financial cost needed to enable him put the necessary machinery in motion to achieve the completion of the project.
Earlier in his address, the state NUJ Chairman,Comrade Victor Ndukwe while highlighting the challenges facing the Abia NUJ and media in the state, appealed to the Governor for continued assistance to enable the Union complete it’s state council secretariat.
Comrade Ndukwe who commended Governor Ikpeazu for his developmental efforts which is aimed at fast tracking economic growth across the state, also used the visit to assure Governor Ikpeazu of the Union’s support to realize his adminstration’s vision as enunciated in the Five pillars of Development.
He also thanked the Governor for assisting the Abia Council in hosting the Union’s 7th Triennial Delegates Conference where an Abian, Comrade Chris Isiguzo was reelected as the National President of the Union.
Present during the meeting were the Chief Of State to the Governor, Chief Okey Ahaiwe and the Commissioner for Documentation and Strategic Communication, Mr Ugochukwu Emezue.
