.AS COMMISSIONER LAUNCHES COOPERATIVE FOR THEM
Newspaper publishers in Akwa Ibom State have extolled the appointment of Comrade Ini Ememobong as the Commissioner for Information & Strategy saying it shows that Governor Udom Emmanuel has read the minds of media practitioners in the State perfectly.
They believe the enormous goodwill garnered by Comrade Ememobong will be a unique selling point in the task of image making of Akwa Ibom State.
This was the thrust of their messages during a maiden meeting with the Commissioner for Information & Strategy.
In their separate speeches, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Comrade Amos Etuk, and other publishers which reflected all sub-sets of the publishers say Comrade Ini Ememobong signals a new beginning for the Ministry of Information Strategy and Akwa Ibom State as whole.
They assured to be guided by the ethical bent of the pen profession in their practice, and appealed to Government to always carry publishers and journalists along in all its programmes and activities.
Commissioner for Information & Strategy Comrade Ini Ememobong thanked the publishers for the support so far, and charged them to always be responsible and circumspect in the discharge of their duty.
The Commissioner announced an initial take-off capital of One Million Naira for a Cooperative society for the publishers noting that Governor Udom Emmanuel is concerned about the welfare of media practitioners at all times and sued for cooperation from all for the good of the State.
He informed the publishers that his Ministry has made arrangements with relevant institutions for workshop for journalists in the State of which the publishers must be part of.
Comrade Ini Ememobong further directed that a five-man steering committee should be constituted, reflecting all shades of publishers so that the interest of everyone will be protected in all activities, plans and programmes of Government.
He particularly assured them that they will be part of the anniversary activities of the State to the extent government wants it to be celebrated.
According to the Commissioner, the Co-operative will be encouraged to swell through more support, and challenged the body on accountability and discipline, in order to meet the aim of loans to members in need.
