By: Felix Ikpotor
The Rivers State Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Dr Peter Medee has charged practicing journalists in the state to always maintain professionalism and ethical standards in their discharge of duties.
He said journalists should not allow themselves to be used by political parties to demarket the state.
Medee gave the charge while receiving an exemplary leadership award from the editorial board of Port Harcourt Spectator Newspaper as part of the newspaper’s 20th Anniversary in his office in Port Harcourt.
“I will urge you to try and depoliticize your publication. Do not allow yourself to be arm twisted and hijacked by political parties, stand firm with your professionalism, do the very best you can and report as apt as possible” he said.
While dedicating the award to the Governor, Nyesom Wike, he called on media houses to join in publicizing the state governments’ developmental efforts.
“Like you can see today, His Excellency (Nyesom Wike) is doing a lot in Rivers State. We need media houses that are pragmatic to report to the world all that is happening in the State. You can see His Excellency, beyond just the first term performance he did, very rare will you see a government that at the second term that they are not looking for re-election that they are still performing. It means that His Excellency was determined to add value to Rivers State and not to come and rule and that he has clearly shown. So we can assure you that as you continue to propagate and expose the good things that His Excellency is doing in Rivers State, this ministry would continue to support you. We expect that you will not be part as a newspaper of those media houses that are publishing and de-marketing the state. Alot of people are de-marketing Rivers State. When you de-market the state, you’re not doing the governor or government but doing yourself because as you open up Rivers State, more people will come in and as more people come in your newspaper will sell because there will be increase in demand. So you’re doing yourself good by exposing Rivers State to the world”
While thanking the newspaper for the award he said “so I can assure you that we will be there to support you in your publication going forward, this is 20 years, we are looking forward to 50 years and we are looking forward to 100 years once more I thank you and say that the sky is your limit”.
Earlier while presenting the award, Publisher/ Chief Executive Officer of Port Harcourt Newspaper, Pastor Parry Saroh Benson said the newspaper has been following up activities of the commissioner right from the University of Port where served as a lecturer till now that he is a commissioner.
“As a media house we have been following the activities of the Honourable Commissioner right from the Department of Economics in UNIPORT where he has been a lecturer to KAGOTE Worldwide, member of Board of Trustees of Ogoni Trust Fund for the implementation of UNEP Report on Ogoniland and now as commissioner. So haven taken a look at all his activities over these years we listed him as one of the persons that we would honour to encourage him to do more”.
He added: “ Moreso, we have taken notice of his dogged efforts in implementing the State Gas Master Plan. Honourable commissioner, our interests as journalist is performance, because we know that if you are encouraged you will do more for Rivers State and when you do more, we as citizens of Rivers State will benefit from it. We are really impressed with your performance, we have been following media reports of this ministry and for those four cardinal points of you carrying out research in gas, petroleum, natural resources and conflict resolution we congratulate you once more.
The award presentation was witnessed by members of the editorial crew of the Port Harcourt Spectator and Permanent Secretaries of the ministry, Heads of Departments and other top officials of the ministry.
