By Ukpa Ewa
The Chairman of a political allied group, known as Anambra Patriots for Soludo, Chief Damian Ejiamatu, has appealed to media practitioners in Anambra State to join hands with its members to spread true information about the performance of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration across the state and the world.
The Chairman, who made the appeal during a capacity building workshop organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Anambra State Council in partnership with the group, reminded the journalists of the agenda setting role of the media in a democratic society.
Chief Ejiamatu, who doubled as the Chairman of the occasion, told the journalists that the Anambra Patriots had an agenda to return Soludo for continuity of the good work, he said, Soludo is doing, pointing out that the patriots’ resolve to partner with them is for a purpose.
‘We know that journalists set agenda; so, we want to partner with you to set an agenda for Soludo,’ Ejiamatu said.
According to him, ‘Soludo is not a regular politician that shares money here and there.’
‘He makes sure that every Kobo of Anambra State is judiciously used, for the betterment of everybody in Anambra.
‘This is why he created the Anambra State Bureau of Public Procurement, to vent everything that is procured in the state,’ Ejiamatu said, and continued to argue that ‘Soludo wants the betterment of ndi Anambra.’
‘That is why we decided to partner with you to set an agenda to ndi Anambra about the good work Soludo is doing. So, we want you to use your agenda setting tool to market him to ndi Anambra and the entire world,’ Ejiamatu appealed.
In his keynote speech, Arc Okey Ezeobi, who also doubles as the Convener of the Anambra Patriots for Soludo, charged the journalists to stand up for truth, and have morale to tell ndi Anambra and the world nothing but the truth about the performance of Governor Soludo so far.
The keynote speaker recalled Governor Soludo’s free education, free antenatal care and delivery policies, recruitment of 8,115 teachers and no fewer than 1,000 health personnel by Soludo’s administration.
According to him, no government since the creation of the state, has done stomach infrastructure in a more beneficial and sustainable way as well as in a large scale than Soludo’s administration.
Arc Ezeobi, who is also the Managing Director, Anambra State Bureau of Public Procurement, explained that before now the state had unreachable areas and communities.
‘Soludo has made sure that there is no unreachable community in Anambra at the moment,’ Ezeobi said, recalling Soludo’s Amansea-Awba Ofemili-Ugbene-Ugbenue and Nzim road projects.
‘We came to let you know that what you put out there for people matters much, and society is looking up for your input.
‘As your sacred duty, tell ndi Anambra and Nigerians the truth about the good works Soludo is doing,’ he urged the Anambra journalists, who gathered for the one-day capacity building workshop with the theme, ‘Ethical Journalism and Journalists’ Safety in an Evolving Democracy.’
According to the Chairman, Organizing Committee, Comrade Ewa Ukpa, the workshop, which took place on Thursday 10th April, at Godwin Ezeemo International Press Centre, Awka, was designed to reinforce the core values of journalism practice which include truth, fairness, accuracy, among others.
In their separate remarks, Comrade Ukpa, and the Chairman, NUJ, Anambra State Council, Dr Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, thanked the Anambra Patriots for Soludo, for sponsoring the workshop, and expressed readiness of the Anambra journalists to support the Patriots in preaching the good news of Governor Soludo’s performance, through adequate publicity for the Patriots’ activities.
Comrades Odogwu and Ukpa also appreciated the keynote speaker, Arc Ezeobi, and the resource persons, Sir Victor Agusiobo and Barr Dr Moses Ugboh, who took the journalists on two educative topics, ‘Physical Safety and Risk Assessment,’ and ‘Election Process and Role of Journalists,’ respectively.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Anambra State, Dr Queen Elizabeth Agwu; the Secretary, Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council and Traditional Ruler of Olumbanasa in Anambra West LGA of the state, Igwe Pius Omachonu; the Member representing Njikoka II Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Jude Akpua; the Managing Director, Anambra Broadcasting Service, Christopher Molokwu; among others, graced the epoch-making event.
