AKS Gov. Chief Godswill Akpabio (right) receiving an award by the NUJ National President Alh Mohammed Garba on Good Governance during NEC meeting in Akwa Ibom on July 9th

Alhaji Mohammed Garba, supported by national and zonal officers of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) attested that the Good Governance Award on the Governor was in acknowledgement of his outstanding contributions to the development of Akwa Ibom State and the nation at large. He also stated that the infrastructural revolution championed by Chief Godswill Akpabio was a mirror to others in public offices in the country, stressing that the achievements of the governor has changed the landscape of Akwa Ibom, in the comity of states.

Alhaji Mohammed Garba said the recognition was to encourage Chief Akpabio attract more basic necessities of life to the electorate as a fulfilment of the desire for conducive living environment in the society. He noted that the NUJ is having a firm belief that the award would encourage Chief Akpabio to use his wealth of experiences to offer further services to the larger society and the country.

The national president of NUJ pledged the union’s resolve to continue to support Chief Godswill Akpabio, by projecting the truth about the achievement of his administration, noting that in doing well for Akwa Ibom, peaceful co-existence has been attained in the state. Alhaji Garba further said that their visit to the state apart from holding the NEC meeting was to afford them the opportunity to see several projects executed in the state with the view to having first hand information.

Alhaji Garba who earlier led a delegation of NEC members on a courtesy call to the Governor before the meeting said the hosting of the meeting in Uyo was crucial, especially when they had to discuss the future of the union and the country as a whole. While thanking Chief Akpabio for approving the hosting of the NEC meeting in Uyo, Alhaji Garba intimated him of one of the key issues that the NEC meeting would address as the approval of insurance policy for all registered members of the union which will be presented to both the state and federal government for implementation and solicited assistance for the take-off of the policy.

The Akwa Ibom State council Chairman of the NUJ, Elder Ephraim Etti, whose address was more of a valedictory speech as his tenure may elapse this month, lauded Governor Akpabio for carrying journalists along in his administration and stated that over 24 major achievements of his outgoing tenure came through the support of the state government. He lauded the state Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio for hosting the NUJ NEC meeting in Uyo and pledge the support of the members of the fourth-estate of the realm to Akpabio’s administration.

Responding, Chief Akpabio urged members of the union to devise ways of flushing out quacks in their midst to allow only qualified members practice the profession. He emphasized that, it is only by ridding the quacks that the union will be able to protect their profession and live up to their biding as the fourth-estate of the realm. The Governor observed that in Akwa Ibom like many other states of the federation, mushroom newspapers run by ill-trained persons who parade themselves as journalists, write wrong grammars and parade themselves as machinery for hire. These calibre of journalists he explained constitute a greater threat not only to the journalism profession but also to democracy in the country.

Chief Akpabio stated further that the unqualified journalists too, do not understand the “theory of social responsibility” which turn to guide the practice of journalism profession, had no respect for the truth, noting that their stock in trade was to spin and wallow in lies. The Governor called for repentance for the wickedness of the ill-breed amongst the journalists, adding that he was not against constructive criticism but against what he called yellow journalism, gutter press, blackmail and libel which turn to cast fiction as facts that do not amount to truth and the noble format of journalism.

On the award of Good Governance presented to the Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio said he was honoured by the kind sentiment expressed by the NUJ and dedicated the award to the entire people of the state especially children who would soon attain the status of “Emerging Tigers” having been rescued from orphanages, child prostitution, child labour and slavery into the free and compulsory education programme of his administration. He donated a bus to the national body of the NUJ and promised to support the completion of the National Secretariat.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Information and Social Re-orientation, Mr. Aniekan Umanah had described Akwa Ibom government as “media-friendly” with 21st century derivables of democratic governance and called on the NUJ to come up with decisions that would strengthen the relationship existing between the press and the government. Mr. Umanah further said that, as the journalists clamour for press freedom, they should take issues of morals very seriously adding that the influx of quacks into the noble profession has dragged the name of the union in the mud.