Delta State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze has charged community newspaper publishers in the state to be professional in the discharge of their duties.
Izeze gave the charge yesterday when he played host to Community Newspaper publishers at his Asaba office in Asaba.
While addressing the publishers, Comrade Izeze thanked Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, for appointing one of the 33 publishers, and Publisher of Delta Guide, Prince Orhomonokpaye as Senior Special Assistant on Community Newspapers.
Izeze stated that Community newspapers like the Urhobo Voice, Anioma Voice, Delta Guide, Ika Weekly, the National Trumpet Newspaper etc are very critical in promoting government programmes and projects especially the MORE Agenda of His Excellency at the grassroots level.
Izeze thanked the community newspapers for their support over the years and admonished the publishers to always display professionalism in news reportage.
“I do recall that a couple of years ago, during the administration of Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, CON, he gave the community newspapers a lot of patronage and respect.
“The reason why he did that, is that he realized at that time, that one of the most potent source of information to the rural people of Delta State was one newspaper that everyone went to the vendor stand every Wednesday and Sunday to patronize, those who couldn’t afford to buy went there to read and that was the Urhobo Voice.
“Dr. Uduaghan understudied what was happening in the Urhobo Voice and found out that, in fact, the biggest antagonist of the Ibori administration was the Urhobo Voice, they fed the people at the grassroots with information and the opposition took advantage and turned it to their newspaper.
“But when Dr. Uduaghan started patronising the Urhobo Voice and other community newspapers to also tell the Government side of the story and made the Urhobo Voice a regular read in Government offices, that changed the narrative and brought balance in news reportage.
“The Governor Sheriff Oborevwori administration is committed to do more for Deltans, but without publicity, the people might not be aware of how to benefit from government programmes and projects,” the Commissioner said.
Izeze further stated that the MORE Agenda of His Excellency is to improve the quality of life of every Deltan by creating opportunities for all to thrive.
“We will ensure that the community newspapers are carried along in all the stages of project inspection, execution and during commissioning so that our people in the rural areas can be abreast with what the government of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori is doing for them,” he added.
Earlier, leader of the delegation and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Newspaper, Prince Orhomonokpaye, on behalf of his team, congratulated the Commissioner and thanked him for granting them audience.
Orhomonokpaye stated that they had come to synergize with the Ministry of Works (Highways and Urban Roads) to help showcase the activities of the Ministry to the rural areas where our fathers and mothers are more in touch with community newspapers.
He said the community newspapers have their tentacles in the rural areas of Delta State and will play a very effective role in communicating the dividends of the MORE Agenda to the good people of Delta state, especially at the grassroots.
