Promote devt journalism, NAN urged

By Iyalla Adaye

Port Harcourt

Development journalism premised on facts is essential to the growth of the nation’s democracy, Special Assistant to the Rivers state Governor on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, has said.
Speaking during a visit to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Zonal Office in Port Harcourt yesterday, Simeon Nwakaudu, urged NAN to effectively deploy her trained workforce to cover all political interests.
He said: “Despite the fact that NAN is a federal government parastatal, the agency has maintained responsible neutrality in her reportage of activities. There maybe one or two lapses, but NAN has performed creditably. We already have a running partnership with NAN and I believe this partnership will be strengthened going forward.
“However, we urge NAN to focus on the achievements of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike in the last 29 months. Despite the existing partnership, NAN is yet to comprehensively address issues of the outstanding performance of Governor Wike.
“NAN has the professional capacity to bring to the knowledge of more Nigerians the superlative performance of the Rivers state Governor in the areas of infrastructure, health, security, education, land reclamation, agriculture, sports and tourism.”
He urged the NAN zonal Office in Port Harcourt to develop basic Human Interest stories at the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park, the Rumuokoro Market and Park or any of the reconstructed General Hospitals, noting that it would go a long way to bringing into sharp focus the productive leadership being availed the people of Rivers state.
He added that reports at any of the Land Reclamation Sites would educate the world on the efforts of the Wike administration to expand communities for the good of the people.
Responding, the Zonal Manager of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Dianabasi Effiong, assured that NAN would continue to objectively report the activities of the Rivers state government.
“We have the resources to help out in terms of publicity. We will also let our management know that you appreciate our contribution to the development of the state,” he said.
2023 presidency: Ohanaeze urges Igbo to make friends
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-cultural group, has urged its people living in the north to court more friends so as to actualise the ethnic group’s quest to produce Nigeria’s president in 2023.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the 19 northern states and Abuja.
The meeting, held in Minna, ended Sunday night.
The communiqué restated the group’s resolve to promote one indivisible Nigeria with equal opportunities for all, and urged Igbo people resident in the north to live in harmony with their host communities.
It lauded the contributions of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, John Nwodo, toward a united and prosperous Nigeria, and urged him to continue to defend the interest of the people.
The cultural group extended its hands of fellowship to other Igbo associations the world over, and called for more unity in the pursuit of Nigeria’s presidency in 2023.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 44 chapters of the group, drawn from across the 19 states of the north, attended the meeting.

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