AKHA seeks partnership with the media

The speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. (Elder) Samuel Okon Ikon has said that his leadership as speaker of the 5th Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly is committed to training different sections of the House administration. The speaker stated this last week during a 3-day workshop organized by the House of Assembly for reporters and media correspondents in the legislature with the theme, “Advancing sustainability and legislative excellence through objective reporting, and the legislature media appreciation of excellent governance”.

The speaker maintained that it was in fulfillment of his promise to make journalists covering the State Assembly a part of the transformation that is going on in the state. He added that the advantage of training and retraining of man-power cannot be over emphasized as it promotes effective and efficient performance of duty.

He called on journalists to take advantage of the workshop and improve their skills in reporting the Assembly. The speaker assured journalists of close collaboration in handling the affairs of the house in the days ahead.

Earlier in his keynote address, the Commissioner for Information and Communication Mr. Aniekan Umanah commended the state House of Assembly for organizing the workshop for media correspondents covering the Assembly, and described the media as a pivot of good relationship among all arms of government. He said that the State House of Assembly press corp is a critical component of the success of the state legislature and overall development of the state, adding that the interest of the people or an arm of government must be protected.

He called on the media to see themselves as necessary partners in the uncommon transformation of the state, stressing that lawmaking process or activity is not about rumour but facts and charged the assembly correspondents to always at all times base their reporting of the house activities on facts, accuracy, objectivity, fairness and balance.

On his goodwill message, the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Akwa Ibom State chapter, Mr. Patrick Albert described the workshop as timely and commended the leadership of the State House of Assembly for instituting the workshop which according to him will enable reporters in the Assembly understand the workings of the Assembly and report accordingly. He said that the media industry in Akwa Ibom State have grown to be the third largest market in Nigeria and called on Assembly reporters to always adhere to truth which is the cornerstone of the journalism profession.

The workshop featured paper presentations from eminent resource persons which include Dr. Mbuk Mboho who spoke on adopting a systematic and pragmatic process of promoting, sharpening of skills and knowledge of the reporters and media correspondents in the legislature, Dr. Peter Esuh lectured on the topic: Best Practice by Media Practitioners in the Legislature, Crisis Management and Media Practitioner’s Reportage of Parliamentary Procedures: Implications and Legislative Sustainability, and Dr. Charles Obot spoke on the topic: Objective Reporting, transparency, Political Accountability and Good Governance in the Legislature.

It also featured practical session and plenary, and presentation of certificate to participants. In a related development, the newly constituted leadership of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ led by Elder Patrick Albert has paid a courtesy visit to the speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Elder Samuel Okon Ikon and sought ways of collaboration with the union to promote mutual relationship.

 The speaker of the State Assembly, Elder Samuel Ikon expressed happiness over the visit and assured the state council of NUJ of the Assembly commitment to deliver on the mandate that was given to them by their constituencies. He said that the mission and the goal of the 5th Assembly is that only the best is good enough for Akwa Ibom people which according to him has been reflected in the budget any provisions made by the State House of Assembly that has brought about the uncommon transformation of the state.

The speaker assured the leadership of the NUJ of the House cooperation with them in the discharge of their function. On his address, the state chairman of NUJ, Elder Patrick Albert informed the speaker, Elder Samuel Ikon that his leadership is devoted to the development of the state and to sanitize the union by ensuring that every medium and media house adhere to the professional ethics and standards of the journalism practice with regards to public interest. He thanked the speaker for granting the audience and solicits closer partnership with the House.