The newly appointed Commissioner for Information in Cross River State Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham has pledged to establish a stronger working relationship with journalists and media practitioners in the state, assuring them of an era of constructive engagement, improved information dissemination and strategic partnership with government.
By Victoria Omini- CALABAR
The Commissioner made the commitment during his maiden official visit to the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Cross River State Council in Calabar, where he joined members of the union to mourn the passing of two veteran journalists, Francis Okpa and Anietie Akpan.
Expressing sadness over the circumstances of his first official visit to the NUJ secretariat, the Commissioner said the death of the journalists was a painful reminder of the transient nature of life and the importance of the impact individuals make on society.
He described journalists as the conscience of society, noting that through their professional practice, they have continued to hold public office holders accountable and ensure that government remains responsive to the people.
According to him, the contributions of the deceased journalists to the profession and society would remain indelible, stressing that their memories would continue to live on through the impact they made during their lifetime.
The Commissioner also assured the NUJ that the administration of Governor Bassey Edet Otu is media friendly and would continue to support effective collaboration with journalists in the state.
He said his office would maintain an open door policy and work closely with media practitioners to promote the image and development of Cross River State.
“I believe it is destined that at this point in time and in this season, I should lead the media of the Cross River State Government. My strength lies in my confidence in you, and we are going to partner together to promote the image of Cross River State,” he said.
He further called for constructive engagement between government and the media, saying he would not encourage antagonism but would rather promote a relationship that would enable journalists to effectively perform their role as the conscience of society.
The Commissioner disclosed that his office would soon convene a proper media conference where government and media stakeholders would deliberate on a clear trajectory for sustained collaboration and improved information dissemination.
He also stressed the need for accurate and timely responses to issues raised in the public space, noting that government must not allow misinformation to thrive through silence.
According to him, whenever inaccurate opinions or allegations are circulated, the government has a responsibility to provide appropriate clarification and address the issues adequately.
“Under my watch, there will be a different season of strategic engagement in our information dissemination. If you do not answer the questions, you are simply giving the impression that the opinion held out there is correct. If the opinion is not correct, then you must stay on the issue and address it adequately,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NUJ Cross River State Council commended the Commissioner for identifying with the union at a difficult moment, describing the deceased journalists as strong pillars who contributed immensely to the profession and impacted the lives of many people.
He said the union would work closely with the families of the deceased on funeral arrangements and promised that members would be kept informed of developments.
The Chairman assured the Commissioner of the media community's readiness to work with the government in promoting Cross River State, stressing that journalists would remain committed to their responsibility whenever they are recognised as critical stakeholders in governance.
He, however, appealed to the Commissioner to revive regular ministerial press briefings to enable ministries, departments and agencies to properly communicate their policies, programmes and projects to Cross Riverians.
According to him, the return of quarterly ministerial press briefings would provide an avenue for commissioners and government agencies to explain their activities and ensure that citizens are adequately informed about the policies and programmes of the administration.
He noted that while several activities were ongoing across the state, inadequate publicity had sometimes made it difficult for Cross Riverians to appreciate the impact of government programmes.
In a vote of thanks, a member of the union welcomed the Commissioner to the NUJ secretariat and commended him for becoming the first public officer to identify with the union over the recent losses.
He expressed optimism that the Commissioner's appointment would usher in a new era in government media management and strengthen the relationship between the government and media practitioners in the state.
The visit ended with prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased journalists and for strength and comfort for their families, colleagues and the entire media community in Cross River State.
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