Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said he would engage competent journalists to serve in his administration, just as he promised that the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, would be involved in selecting his media team for the second term in office.
Governor Abiodun, who stated this when he visited the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Iwe-Iroyin Press Centre, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, noted that the media professionals have been instrumental to the success his administration achieved in the first term, hence the need to involve them in serving the people better.
He said, “I want to thank you for many of your reports in the past years, which had objectively and constructively assessed our policies and subsequently served as the impetus for us to improve the quality of our democratic deliveries and serve our people better.
“I commend your consciousness for professionalism, by being objective and patriotic in your reportage with the focus of building a strong socio-economic bridge for our dear State and for the coming generations’’.
He said as a critical stakeholder in the State’s project and a watchdog of society, journalists needed to be professional by being objective in their reportage, as members of the public look up to them as the mirror of society.
While noting that his administration is not averse to criticism, the Governor implored the leadership and members of the union to be responsive in their activities and reports, maintaining that as a responsible government, positive criticism would spur his team to work harder for the betterment of the State.
According to him, “This fundamental principle of journalism as illumination of the society is regrettably defeated if the criticism is based on malice, parochial tendency, and self-aggrandisement such as destructive and a disservice to our collective aspirations and desires’’.
Governor Abiodun stated that the visit to the Press Centre was in line with his promise to constantly engage the men of the pen profession in building a synergy that would engender good governance and fast-track the socio-economic development of the State.
He said his administration would undertake the renovation of the Union’s hall built by former Governor Olusegun Osoba, while another befitting hall would be built at its new site to change the face of the profession in the State.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, Comrade ‘Wale Olarenwaju, urged Governor Abiodun to appoint capable media practitioners who would be able to liaise with their colleagues in projecting the laudable achievements of his administration to the public.
