As media practitioners across the globe marked the World Press Freedom Day, on Thursday, the Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bro Felix Obuah has said that the Nigerian Press deserves a pat on the back for its courage and resilience against the background of economic hardship and meager salaries for its practitioners.
The state PDP chairman noted that despite observable weaknesses, the Nigerian state still owes the press a lot for its role in nation building, stressing that democratic governance in the country would have been a nullity without the contributions of the press.
Obuah, however, regretted that some members of the Nigerian Press were yet to grow beyond mere information mercenaries for government officials and certain interest groups while others remain comfortable in the realm of pettiness.
According to Obuah, the era of deadpan reporting has long given way for development-based Journalism whereby real development projects and people-oriented leaders should be adequately reported to encourage the citizenry on their civic responsibilities.
Obuah said if the press should live up to this responsibility, leaders like the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike would be on the front-burner of media reports because of his unrivalled developmental projects vis-à-vis his counterparts across the nation.
He said though the media have done appreciably well in acknowledging and recognizing the governor for his numerous landmark achievements through awards of excellence, there was still need to give publicity to his rural development projects.
“While I congratulate and identify with you on the occasion of your World Press Freedom Day, I hope you will do better by reporting those who are genuinely diligent in their duties and prudent in management of resources entrusted to them like the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike”
“Happy World Press Freedom Day celebration,” Obuah advised.
Meanwhile, as workers in Rivers State joined their counterparts all over the world to celebrate Workers Day, last Tuesday, the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bro. Felix Obuah has urged workers to remain committed to their work to reciprocate the good gestures of Governor Nyesom Wike.
Obuah, in a statement to salute the workers for their sacrifices and resilience, urged them to leverage on the enabling environment provided by the Wike administration, whom he described as the best workers-friendly governor in Nigeria.
He urged them to continue to work hard and increase their productivity, adding that to whom much is given, much is also expected.
Recalling what he called the dark era for Rivers workers under the administration of former governor, he alleged that the previous administration subjected workers to untold hardship with months of unpaid salaries.
