The Nigerian Guild of Editors on Tuesday said it was closely following the ARISE agenda of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, saying it had started yielding the targeted dividends.
The NGE President, Mr Eze Anaba, said this at the Government House during a courtesy visit to the governor ahead of the 19th All Nigerian Editors Conference, scheduled to hold from November 15 to 19, 2013.
He thanked the governor for accepting to host the guild in the state.
Anaba, however, lauded the continuum in the government of Akwa Ibom, adding that the development strides of successive governments and the peaceful ambience have undoubtedly made the state a choice destination for all, as demonstrated in the unprecedented number of delegates to the 2023 ANEC.
“We’ve been following your ARISE Agenda, and Akwa Ibom seems to be the only state in Nigeria where there is a continuum in government, and in terms of governance, the government of Akwa Ibom has produced enough for the citizenry.
“So it is now for the people to know what to do with the good governance they’re enjoying,” Anaba said.
In respnse, the governor charged the guild to uphold the integrity of the profession by striving to maintain objectivity in their reporting.
Eno also advocated a free press, where journalists can praise, criticise, comment, and advise where necessary without undermining the ethics of the profession, and tasked journalists with being conscious of their sacred responsibility of shaping people’s orientation and social order and being the conscience of society.
“We need a free press that is very unbiased in their reportage; you give praise where you have to, comment where you have to, make suggestions where you have to, and criticise where you have to, because you are the conscience of society and everyone relies on the press because of its agenda-setting disposition,” he said.
The governor reiterated his administration’s resolve to maintain the already robust partnership with the media community, as demonstrated by his recent approval of 50 media appointees.
He emphasised that his administration was not opposed to constructive criticism but committed to driving a narrative of governance that is aimed at making rural dwellers reap the dividends of democracy and build trust in government.
“Since we came on board in the last six months, we have proven that during the campaigns, we didn’t just make vain promises. We carried out our assessment and decided to concentrate on our rural areas. So we developed the ARISE Agenda, comprising agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, security, and education.
“We are really focused on developing our rural communities, exposing our rural areas to government facilities, and exposing our children to opportunities that we believe, if we give them, they will excel.
“All we ask is that you help us tell the Akwa Ibom story as a people-centric government. You can also criticise us or suggest to us,” the governor added.
In the Nigerian Guild of Editors delegation were: Deputy President Husseina Bangshika; Vice President (East), Sheddy Ozoene; Vice President (West), Kabir Alabi; Vice President (North), Umoru Ibrahim; General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren; Assistant General Secretary, Gabriel Akinadewo; Treasurer, Steve Nwosu; and Charles Kalu, Social and Publicity Secretary, among others.
