July 12, (THEWILL) – Media practitioners in Bayelsa State have been commended for their unrelenting support and effective reportage of the policies and programmes of the Prosperity Administration in the state.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the commendation when members of the Bayelsa Independent Publishers Association (BIPA) paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.
Ewhrudjakpo, who described the BIPA as a friend and partner in progress, thanked the leadership of the association for its detailed appraisal of the developmental strides of Governor Douye Diri’s administration in the state.
The Deputy Governor noted that BIPA had been at the forefront of the media telling the Bayelsa story to the world, and recalled how he worked closely with its members when he was the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure.
He promised to convey their requests for the procurement of an 18-seater bus and the resuscitation of their printing equipment to Governor Diri for consideration.
Ewhrudjakpo, who pledged to support the foremost indigenous publishers in his own little way, charged them to sustain the prevailing congenial government-media relations in the state.
“I feel excited to welcome you, my very good old friends, to Government House on this visit. I thank you for your appreciation of what your government has done in Bayelsa State.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank media practitioners in Bayelsa for your support to the government and your effective coverage and reportage of policies, programmes and happenings in Bayelsa.
“We appreciate your support. Let us maintain our relationship. Remember, when I was Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, I made sure the Bayelsa media publishers were part of our field trips for project site visits and inspections.
“We will look into your rent issue and that of the printing machine. On your request for procurement of a bus, I will convey the request to the Governor for consideration. We will also look into the suspended stipends and do something about it,” he said.
Presenting the Association’s address, the Publisher of Izonlink Newspapers, Mr. Alfred Egbegi, highlighted some of the challenges confronting the members of the association, such as bad printing press equipment, absence of operational bus, and high cost of printing materials, among others.
Egbegi, who applauded the Governor Douye Diri-led administration for its remarkable strides in infrastructure, security, education and civil service, said the association is well pleased with the performance level of the state government.
While assuring the Deputy Governor of a better working relationship, he appealed to the State Government to reinstate their monthly stipends that were suspended since 2016 in the wake of the nationwide economic recession.
He said: “All through the first tenure culminating in the eventual elections, and now halfway into the first year of your second tenure, we have keenly followed your leadership style and effort at changing the narrative in Bayelsa State.
“We never expected the kind of development we are seeing today. You know me. For me to say this, it means you and your principal, His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, have done wonderfully well.
“We are living witnesses of the revolution on roads all over the State. Just to mention a few critical ones; the Nembe-Brass Road in our estimation is going to open up the state’s economy. A very welcome development is the creation of the Marine and Blue Economy.”
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
