President Goodluck Jonathan wants the media to report the country positively.
A similar challenge came from Governors Adams Oshiomhole of Edo and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, both of whom asked the media to help fix the problems in the country.
Jonathan spoke through the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, during the dinner to raise funds for the building of the Editors’ House by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Abuja on Thursday.
He hailed the leadership of the guild for its decision to build a befitting edifice that would serve as its secretariat.
Describing the Nigerian press as one of the best and freest in the world,he said :”I will say that our profession is making progress. The Nigerian media represent the best and the freest on the continent today and everywhere around the continent, we are looked upon as the leaders of this profession.
“This freedom did not just come overnight. It is something we have fought for and it is something Nigerians have recognized and in deepening this freedom, let us act with serious sense of responsibility and let us uphold the unity of this country.
“Nigeria represents the basis of the freedom of Africa. Our country, no matter what challenges we have faced, had done tremendous things for this continent.
“We must realize that the work of the Federal Government is huge. What President Jonathan has done in the last four yes has been very significant. The problem is that the rot has been there for a long time.”
Mr.Maku said that the Jonathan administration has built 10 power plants, revitalized the railways and established 13 universities in the last four years.
He said that the Federal Government now has the funding requirements to complete the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, saying: “But because Jonathan inherited a lot of problems, it is difficult to notice what he had done so far.”
He added: “I want to call on my colleagues, because today when people read some of the things you write, the impression is that this country is so bad, they should not even come here.
“The reality of it is that this country is the number one destination for investment in Africa for the last four years because of our policies and the nation is developing. We need patience.
“This country has suffered from impatience. Each time we are having a breakthrough, something will happen.
“My appeal to us is to also ensure we report our country positively. We are leading in several ways.”
On his part, Governor Oshiomhole appealed to delegates at the ongoing National Dialogue to work towards the peace and development of the country.
He noted that countries which are considered safe havens today have had to work for their development.
Oshiomhole said: “My appeal is that anyone who has been nominated and is part of the confab would have been nominated on the assumption that he has no other country but Nigeria.
“Therefore, since he does not have any other country but Nigeria, he will stay in that conference and work towards the progress and development of Nigeria.”
He hoped that those who are privileged to lead the country cannot afford to become ethnic champions.
“Let us leave ethnicity to those who are detained by their domains, so that those who have responsibility beyond domains, who are defined and identified by our green passports should speak for the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because we have no other country we can call our own,” he said.
Also speaking,Governor Uduaghan noted that those agitating for war in the country are doing so because they have not witnessed any in their lives.
He called on the media not to incite the younger ones to violence through their publications.
He said: “I say to those who today are saying they are Biafrans that if they had seen war before they would be very careful in their agitations.
“What I want to plead with the guild is that we should not incite, especially our young ones, to cause crisis because it does not pay. Nigeria is one.
“We should not incite with our microphone; we should not incite with our pen because this country has a lot of potential.”
President Jonathan announced a donation of N50million towards the building of the House, the Governors of Rivers and Kwara states donated N10million and N5million respectively.
Most of the other dignitaries did not announce their donations.
Report Nigeria positively - Jonathan, Oshiomhole, Uduaghan tell media
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for dropping your response, there are other interesting news on the page too