Benue Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has acknowledged the roles played by media towards the success of his administration in the past one year.
The governor stated this at the weekend while declaring open a one day capacity building/training workshop on economic reporting organized by the state’s Correspondent’s Chapel , the workshop was sponsored by Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC).
Alia who was represented at the occasion by his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo promised to create a conducive and enduring environment to boost their morales in the discharge of their journalism work.
According to the governor, his administration will continue to create enabling environment for media practitioners in the state to operate maximally and add value to his administration.
He said , “journalists are partners in progress and let me assure you that better things will come your way to enhance your job as watchdogs of the society.
The CPS who also presented a paper at the workshop entitled, ‘Sustaining government/Media relationship in Nigeria’, emphasized the need for unhindered access to information to the media.
Tersoo frowned at the act of government tracking down media organizations or journalists.
He said the media remain the touch bearer of the society and should be accorded respect, noting that often times, they face the challenge of trust and transparency from government.
He admonished government officials to always ensure journalists have free access to government information so as to to avoid misrepresentation.
The CPS also challenged journalists to avoid negative reportage but to embrace development journalism to enhance cordial working relationship with government.