Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has challenged community media to utilize their potentials to highlight development issues affecting communities for government intervention.
The Governor stated this in Asaba during a media seminar organized for Delta Community Newspaper Publishers by the Press Unit , Government House.
Governor Oborevwori represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu said leveraging on community reporting would help in bringing to government attention, developmental challenges facing communities.
He stated that community newspaper publishers as the closest to the grassroots, would make much impact when they report more of local events in their domains, rather than competing with national media.
”We are talking about underreporting everywhere. If all the things that government does in every community is reported, every community would have been reported ultimately. That is the work of community media, because national media will be selective, and many communities will not be reported”, stated Oborevwori.
The Delta State Governor who gave an assurance of his administration’s continued collaboration with the community media, said he would not take them for granted as they are very dear to him.
”Public health, infrastructural development and other issues of concern are areas that community media should focus on. Leveraging on community reporting in whatever form, will do a lot of good to your community and the state, and by implication, use that same platform to report the MORE agenda”, said Oborevwori.
Delta State Commissioner for Works(Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu underscored the importance of training in the performance of the media, assuring that the state government would continue to partner the media for optimal delivery.
The Commissioner represented by a director in the ministry, Mr Harold Oji expressed the commitment of the Delta State Government to working with all critical stakeholders in delivering good governance to the people.
”Government attaches much importance to training and retraining of its staff, and other individuals or groups because such training make workers perform better at work. Delta State Government is thankful for your collaboration and cooperation with it in reporting the activities, progress and developmental strides of the MORE agenda of the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to the grassroots”, stated Aniagwu..
He stated further, ”Development journalism is beneficial to the people and the government, because whatever government is doing, no matter the level of successes achieved; if the media do not publicize the achievements and make them known to the people, nobody will hear about it.
The convener and Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Community Newspapers, Prince -Eromosere Orhomonokpaye thanked God for the approval of Governor Oborevwori for the seminar, saying that the essence was to retrain members of community newspaper publishers not just on reporting the MORE agenda of the administration of the governor but also on how to go about their daily reporting of events happening in their various communities.
The seminar with the theme ”The Impact of Adequate Reporting of the MORE Agenda to the grassroots, featured papers presentation by the Rector of the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe, Oghara, Professor Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri and Mr Pius Mordi, a communication expert.
There were goodwill messages by the commissioners for oil and gas, Mr Peter Uviejitobor ; higher education Professor Tonukari Nyerhovwo ; special duties Etagherure Ejiro Terry ; youths development Thankgod Trakiriowei ; as well as the representative of the commissioners for economic planning; culture and tourism; basic and secondary secondary; and the representative of the Chief Adviser to Delta State Governor, Senator Ighoyota Amori.
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