The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barrister Orji Uchenna Orji, has described as anti democracy any media report that is targeted towards pulling down a government.
Orji, during a courtesy call paid on him by government house correspondents on Friday, charged journalists in the state to always engage in constructive criticism, as the government is responsive and welcomes healthy criticisms.
He requested that journalists should not involve themselves in any report that is not geared towards developing Ebonyi, geared towards encouraging development, and making relevant corrections.
He assured journalists in the state that the ministry will continue to work with them in partnership and ensure that whatever that is meant for them is evenly distributed, mostly as it concerns adverts.
“The forth estate of the realm is very critical in the development of our democracy, it’s also very critical in the sustainability of our democracy and developmental goals of any responsible government.
“In the last four years of this administration, the Governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has done quite a lot in the development of Ebonyi state. And I can say, that every stride and feat he has achieved, you contributed.
“You contributed by your constructive criticism, by your individual opinions, by your passionate partnership, and I must commend you. I want to tell you that in the years ahead we need you very actively.
“It is the governor’s objective that by 2023 when he will be leaving office, he will bequeath to Ebonyians a state that has the best and strongest economy. He will achieve it with your cooperation.
“We know that in this kind of environment we have a lot of political distractions, but it is your duty to ensure that our governor is not distracted.
“The forth estate has been in the forefront of ensuring the protection of democracy. History has it that you championed the current democracy we are now enjoying, therefore, we should not derail from protecting this democracy.
“We need to work together, we should work at all times to protect our democracy, to protect the developmental strides of the government, that’s the only way we can be counted as partakers of democracy.
“We should strive at all times to ensure developmental Journalism. Any report that is not geared towards developing our state, geared towards encouraging any development, geared towards given constructive criticism, given advice, making relevant corrections, then there is no need doing that.
“Any report that is directed towards pulling down a government, towards painting government black is anti democracy and such report should not be found in your mist.
“The governor has done extremely and tremendously well that all we are required to do is to assist him by encouraging him.
“Most of you were here before 2015 to see how Ebonyi was… but today the story is different. So the only way we can assist him is to cooperate with him.
“I’m not saying that you should say anything other than what he is doing, just concentrate on saying the truth. The truth about what he is doing is what I require from you, nothing more nothing less,” he appealed.
Earlier, Chairman of the correspondents chapel, Mr Jacob Ogodo, assured the commissioner of their readiness to work with him.
He also stated that there are clear differences between social media and convention media, adding that someone having Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Whatsapp accounts doesn’t mean that person is a journalist.
Ogodo said the core journalists should be treated as such because they are not the same with social media handlers.
“We want our welfare to be improved, there are cases that when government has very big programmes, there will be allocations for every other sector but most times there be no provisions for us and it’s discouraging.
“In the actual fact, we are partners in the development of this state and His Excellency knows that we have always given our best in the development of the state. Just as we do our work, we equally need to be encouraged” he added.
