The Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State has called for closer working relationship with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council in the management and dissemination of information on the development in the state.
Sir Udo Hillary Isobara said media practitioners are very important in the development wheel of the society and as such journalists should be partners in progress with the government at various levels.
Isobara, who stated this when members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council led by its chairman, Elder Patrick Albert paid him a courtesy call in his office, Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, Uyo, urged journalists in the state to shun false publication with the intent to ridicule and blackmail public servants and top ranking officials.
The accountant general who is also a permanent secretary in-charge of State Treasury, maintained that journalists as stakeholders in the Akwa Ibom project should contribute their quota towards making the State a destination point by dwelling on positive and progressive reports, encourage government officials, instead of concentrating on negative reports that frustrates efforts to evolve a better society for posterity.
He expressed delight at the familiarization visit by the NUJ leadership, adding that he has been looking forward to a robust relationship with the body that will be mutually beneficial, and commended the present leadership for repositioning the union towards developmental journalism.
According to him, the office of the accountant general under his leadership has improved internally generated revenue (IGR), eliminated wastages, introduced e-payment and intensified efforts to eliminate distortions in tax collection.
On staff welfare, he said his office has introduced motivational packages to make its staff to become more innovative and creative.
Also, he said the office of the Accountant General has established an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre to train and re-train its staff in order to keep them abreast of latest innovations in ICT towards service delivery, proficiency and productivity.
Isobara said prior to his appointment as the Accountant General of the State, internally generated revenue stood abysmally at N200 million per month, but that through innovations and hardwork, the state’s monthly IGR has been taken up to almost N2 billion.
He expressed satisfaction that with security innovations, the office under his watch has not recorded any fraud, explaining that the e-payment was undertaken as part of measures to seal loop holes in revenue and tax collection.
“Now in this State all tax payments are computerized such that I can sit down here and open my laptop and know who has paid his tax and who has not,” he added.
He therefore called on NUJ to partner with government agencies in order to leave a lasting legacy for posterity.
Earlier in his address, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, Elder Patrick Albert, maintained that the Union under his leadership has, through advocacy, synergy building, visits and interactions with the executives, legislature, judiciary, police command, department of State Security (DSS) and other stakeholders shown full commitment to the wellbeing and development of Akwa Ibom State towards improved media relations in line with the uncommon transformation in the state.
Albert said as the fourth estate of the realm and society’s watch dog, the Union is favorably disposed to the training and re-training of members to keep them abreast with the demands of the time and to be ethically conscious.
He said members will utilize the enormous powers conferred on them by the constitution of the country to advance the development of the state and the nation, and solicited for sponsorship of its various training programmes by government, corporate organizations and public spirited individuals in the society.
The NUJ chairman also explained that the decision taken by the Congress of the NUJ to name the proposed NUJ Press Centre Complex, an intellectual environmental, in honour of Governor Godswill Akpabio, was to appreciate the governor for his impactful leadership and uncommon transformation of our dear state since assumption of office in 2007.
He explained that the first phase of the project will have a -1000 capacity auditorium, a 2-storey office complex and a club house which when completed will be comparable to the best in the world and will advance the image of our State.
While informing the accountant general of the commencement of perimeter fencing/Gate House through direct labour, the NUJ chairman also called for financial support towards the realization of the project which he said will be an eternal gift to Governor Akpabio.
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