By Abdulfatah Babatunde
The APC-led government, at all levels, will not do anything to impede the works of journalists, Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo State assured on Friday in Owerri.
Uzodimma gave the assurance while speaking at the 2023 National Bienial Convention of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) held in the state capital.
“Let me assure you that the APC-led government, both at the state and federal levels, will never do anything to impede the work of journalists.
“I believe I have a cordial relationship with both the labour unions and the Nigerian journalists. I also believe that we have enough laws in our statutes to check the excesses of some misguided media practitioners,” the governor said.
He said he welcomed the setting up of the National Media Complaints Commission.
“Those who are aggrieved by the actions of the media can always approach the commission to seek redress.
“I charge the commission to find a way of bringing the social media to account also. Nobody denies the fact that we need the media to strengthen our democracy.
“Both the government and media practitioners must, therefore, work together to ensure the protection, survival and development of this democracy.”
Uzodimma also used the occasion to highlight some achievements of his administration, which included the attraction of two federal projects for the benefit of the people.
These included the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, now upgraded to the Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital and the Naval Base at Oguta as well as the dredging of Oguta Lake to Orashi River among others.
Speaking on nation’s 24-year-old democratic processes, Uzodimma said he still believes that “our democracy is still at its infant stage. We should not judge it harshly”.
“As a matter of fact, expecting a perfect electoral process at this stage is not a realistic enterprise,” he added.
Earlier, the immediate past President of the Guild, Mr Mustapha Isah, charged editors to continue to innovate and adopt new survival strategies in the face of economic conundrum.
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Isah knocked the Federal Government for not considering media industry in the various intervention funds it provided to bail out other sectors of the economy.
“Federal Government initiated intervention funds to bail out other sectors but is not bothered about current state of the Media.
“The media play the role of watchdog. Our constitution gives us the power to hold the government to account.
“However, a sick and hungry watchdog wouldn’t be in a position to watch anything when faced with challenge of survival.
“Some people, expected to hold accountable, would even pray for this scenerio to continue in perpetuity,” he said.
Isah, however, charged editors to keep doing their job, no matter the challenges faced.
He also spoke on the National Media Complaint Commission, recently inaugurated by the Nigerian Press Organisation.
According to him, NPO set up the commission in response to those in government who insisted on regulating the media.
“They wanted to do this through obnoxious laws.”
“The Guild does not believe that those we should hold accountable will be same people to regulate the media.
“So, I plead with all editors to give maximum support and publicity to the commission.”
The NewsZenith reports that former governor of Ogun State and Fellow of the Guild, Chief Olusegun Osoba, was Father of the Day.
Several important dignitaries in the media industry and academia also grace the convention, held at the Rockview Hotel, Owerri.
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