Gov. Abiodun hugging the Chairman of the State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Wale Olarenwaju at the press parley while members of the press jubilate.
The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has assured media practitioners that he has always had respect for members of the pen profession as he sees them as partners in taking the State to greater heights as encapsulated in his administration’s ISEYA agenda.
The governor made this known during an interactive session with Journalists in the State at the Presidential Lodge, Ibara, Abeokuta on Tuesday eve.
Prince Abiodun called for a synergy between the media and his government so that he could deliver more dividends of democracy and good governance to the people.
He insisted that as the fourth estate of the realm, the cooperation and partnership of the press with the government should be guaranteed, as they feel the pulse of the people as mirrors of the society.
He said his foray into politics was to better the lot of the people through well-planned and articulated policies and programmes that would open the State up through Public Private Partnership.
“When we came on board, we set our vision around our comparative advantage of being close to Lagos, which is the commercial centre of our country. We began to construct and reconstruct roads, even those that do not belong to us. We need this so that investors can find us attractive and come and invest in our State because we know that no investor will go to a place where there are no access roads”, the governor said.
The Governor, who recalled the difficulty he went through on his journey to the government house, said the experience made him vow to be just, fair, responsive and equitable to all, irrespective of their political affiliations and where they come from.
He said though the exigencies of his office do not provide him with the opportunity to interact with the media as often as possible, the building of a befitting Press Centre at the governor’s office, was to provide the newsmen with a conducive environment to gather and disseminate news with ease.
Governor Abiodun promised to establish a new journalists’ estate to take care of their housing needs, saying that issues affecting their welfare would be looked into by his administration.
While pledging to address the disconnect between the government and the media in his second term in office, the governor called on them to be a bridge between the government and the people by adequately reporting its policies and programmes and achievements.
In his remarks, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Waheed Odusile said the session was to provide the Governor with an opportunity to interact with the newsmen in a friendly atmosphere, as well as intimate them of his administration’s achievements in the last three years and ten months.
Speaking, the Chairman of the State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Wale Olarenwaju, commended the government for spreading developmental projects to all parts of the State, saying the stride had positively impacted the lives of the people.
Olarenwaju while tabling issues that affect media men in the State, thanked the Governor for having the welfare of the media practitioners at heart, adding that there was a need for a regular interface between the media and government for a more cordial relationship.
The Governor later presented a 14-seater bus to the Union.
