By Comrade Amawu, Amawu.
The Cross River State Commissioner of Information, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, had an interactive meeting with a cross-section of digital Journalists and Media Practitioners in the State in his Office at the Ministry of Information Headquarters, opposite the Cultural Centre, Calabar.
Mr. Ekpang expressed his appreciation for their wonderful services to the State and the present Administration of Governor Otu and urged them not to relent but to do more to put the State in good light and to make sure that they always verify any information when in doubt before going to press.
“Gentlemen of the Press, am highly excited and feel honoured to have you in my Office on short notice.
“You are very important to us as a Ministry and to me as a Commissioner to interface, and create relationships. The Administration of Senator Prince Bassey Otu by the grace of God is real, factual, and on the ground. Let’s work together to bring back the State’s lost glory, and Calabar in particular as the seat of government and first port of call to any visitor into our State, as this collaboration is to achieve the goals of our Sweet Prince People’s First Agenda.
We are living testimonies of what is happening in the last 9 months of Prince Otu’s Administration, a clear departure from the past.
“Our wish is simply; a partnership to advance our cause as a State and people and effect the needed support, and as digital Journalists and Media Practitioners, you can only put the State in a good light and be positive in your reportage, and this does not mean that you will not query government policies that are anti-people and proffer solutions that are germane. We know our governor as a man who listens and doesn’t pretend to be all-knowing and an embodiment of all knowledge, no man is and will ever be, except God.
“You can see that even with our scarce resources, traffic lights are back, potholes are being filled and to some extent, we now look for wastes to carry, except the ones generated on the same day. We have started doing some roads, renovating Government House and some other edifice of government.
Last week Thursday I went around and inspected over 10, projects and this is a clear manifestation that the Governor is serving the people and they are filling government impact.
“We all have a stake in the Cross River project. So, when we kill our State to outsiders that won’t make sense because when you look at the government today and don’t see her as yours, tomorrow could be yours and you have already killed her in the past. So, who will be blamed?
“In this context, this government is real, trying her best, and will even do more because Governor Otu has a social contract with the people of Cross River State under God.
“I once more want to thank you for all you are doing for the State, my office is open so is the Ministry at any time. My wish is that whenever you need clarification, feel free and call to verify before going public as information is key, as the Honourable Commissioner sighted Edet Keyu’s saga as a case study for why it’s important to verify and cross-check facts before going to press,” he concluded.
The parley had in attendance the Ministry’s key stakeholders and an array of digital Journalists and Media Practitioners.
