 |
| Lead Speaker at the event, Leesi Gabriel Gborogbosi |
Journalists, especially, those reporting the energy and maritime sectors to lead the sensitization drive on alternative sources of revenue beside oil and gas. This should be with special focus on the Niger Delta region where the people have been living under harsh effects of decades of oil exploration and exploitation.
An elder statesman and former Minister of Sports, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas gave this charge at a One-Day Seminar with the theme: “Niger Delta Economy Beside Oil and Gas”, organized by EMR.
The event held at the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Graham-Douglas, represented by the Publisher of Topnews Newspaper, Ngo Martyns-Yellowe, noted that the Niger Delta was blessed with natural resources, which have enhanced the nation’s economy.
Alabo Graham Douglas who was represented by the publisher of Topnews, Sir Ngo Martyns-Yellowe however observed that Maritime reporters based in the Niger Delta are not doing enough in their reportage in recent times, to educate the people especially the unemployed Youths on other ways of creating Wealth for themselves.
On his part, State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mohammed Haruna, represented by his Deputy Commandant, Samuel Ukaegbu, said solid minerals can be harnessed in the Niger Delta region through joint efforts with indigenous contractors for export, stressing that time had come for diversification of the nation’s economy.
Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer, Area 1, Port Harcourt of the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS), Ivara Oscar commended the Energy and Maritime Reporters of Nigeria for organising the One-Day Seminar, emphasizing that Nigerians and the people of the Niger Delta need to focus more on alternative means of developing the economy beside oil and gas.
In his presentation, “Niger Delta Economy and the Role of the Press”, the General Manager/Regional Editor, South-South/South-East of Business Day Newspapers and an active oil and gas industry Media practitioner, Ignatius Chukwu called for the setting up of Business Desks in all Media Houses in the Niger Delta region to boost the reportage of economic activities in the country .
The Media luminary also called for an Executive Course system in Oil/Gas plus Energy/Maritime Journalism in either the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) or Rivers State University (RSU) for urgent and aggressive training of all home-based journalists in the Niger Delta in order to engender professional coverage of the broad sector.
According to him, the idea was to ensure that the most competent and effective coverage of the oil and gas, energy and maritime sectors were domiciled in the oil-rich region.
Other speakers at the event included Morgan Barikor Menegbo and Leesi Gabriel Gborogbosi.
Other speakers at the event included Morgan Barikor Menegbo and Leesi Gabriel Gborogbosi.
0 Comments