BENIN CITY – Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo has his government will strengthen its communication structure to ensure effectiveness in the transmission of government activities, adding that the platform is built on transparency and openness.
Governor Obaseki made the disclosure while receiving the Zonal Director of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Benin Network Centre and her team at the Government House, Benin City on Tuesday.
Governor Obaseki said, “We also need to begin to rethink government’s communication. So, we are going to be strengthening our own in-house communication structure, both infrastructure and people to ensure that we put out activities of government to you on a timely basis and also very accurately. We are one government that has nothing to hide. Our whole platform is built on transparency and openness.”
He called for collaboration to develop quality contents saying, “Let’s begin to work together to develop quality contents, particularly as regards to governance in Nigeria. We are clear that we have always been a bastion of the best this country has to offer, particularly in the area of communication. Whether it is public or private, Edo people dominate the communication space in this country.”
On the nature of his administration he explained, “I assure you that you have in us a government that is responsive, a government that listens, a government that is very clear-sighted as to what its objectives are, a government that is willing to partner and to continue to preserve the unity and the integrity of our country.”
“As one of the foremost sub-national governments in this country and with the realization that NTA Benin is perhaps one of the oldest branches of the network, we think it is almost a divine responsibility to make sure that the government of Edo State nurtures and supports your station. Particularly at this time in our country where, because of the level of despair, the advent of social media and the extent of disinformation that could occur in that medium, we feel that more than ever before, stations like yours need to be supported to be able to come up with true goings on in government. So, the whole issue of credibility of government news has been one which poses challenges for network like yours,” the Governor asserted.
The Governor commiserated with the Zonal Director over the fire outbreak in their office, “Let me thank you most sincerely for this visit and also to extend our sympathy and commiseration for the losses you suffered as a result of the unfortunate fire outbreak which was recorded in your station. I am really sorry.
I will find time to come and see the extent of damage and if there is anything we can do. But what we can do now is that we are going to be rehabilitating the road. And that should start in earnest.
He added, “Let me thank you again for this visit, but also to express my profound gratitude for the balance you brought into the reporting you brought into Edo electioneering, because at a certain point in time, we were wondering why we were not getting the balance reporting that we deserve from a national network like NTA. But no sooner you came in than we saw that the situation changed for the better.”
“But I want to assure you that as long as I am the Governor of Edo State, NTA is one station we will support and we will help to nurture,” he said.
Earlier, the Zonal Director, Nigerian Television Authority, Benin Network Centre, Mrs. Pauline Igbanoi said the national electronic medium, particularly the Benin Network Centre identifies with the laudable projects, including job creation, of the administration of Governor Obaseki.
She affirmed that activities of Governor Obaseki are prioritized in NTA and gave assurance that it was determined to do more for the new administration in Edo State including giving extensive coverage and publicity of same.
According to her, NTA has community stations at Iruekpen and Uzairue adding that NTA Benin Network Centre also supervises the stations in the states within the region which comprises Edo, Delta, Ondo and Bayelsa states.
She congratulated Governor Obaseki on his election at the 2016 Edo State governorship election and commended him for starting well.
