I Need Your Cooperation – A’Ibom New Information Commissioner Urges NUJ

The newly sworn-in commissioner for information and strategy, Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Ini Ememobong, has sought the cooperation of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the management of information in the state.

Ememobong, who was sworn in as commissioner on Monday and later assigned to the Ministry of Information and Strategy, said his decision to head straight to NUJ before proceeding to take over from his predecessor was to be sure that he had the approval of his primary constituency.

Addressing the union at the NUJ Secretariat, Uyo, on Tuesday, the brand new commissioner, who is the immediate-past publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sued for increased cooperation between media managers/stakeholders and the state government.

He applauded the media community for the support accorded him as PDP state publicity secretary, urging them to do more for the state in his new assignment.

The information and strategy boss stressed the need for proper reportage of government activities as well as professional dissemination of information; and stressed the need for proper synergy between his office and the union.

To boost such synergy, therefore, he used the occasion to announce the appointment of Comrade Imoh Etim  Udo of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Uyo, as of press union liaison officer, who will henceforth liaise between his office and the union.

Comrade Ememobong described members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm as partners in progress and called on them to partner the state government by way of positive reportage of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Completion Agenda, and pledged the commitment of his office to partner effectively with the NUJ.

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In his response, state chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Amos Etuk, thanked Governor Emmanuel for the appointment of Ememobong as information and strategy commissioner, describing him as a competent hand that can stir the information machinery of the state to achieve desired results.

He expressed the willingness of the union to work with Ememobong.

Recall that the new information commissioner, immediately after his swearing-in on Monday, rushed to dedicate his appointment to God at the Church of Christ, 144 Aka Road, Uyo.

Ememobong at the dedication service revealed that his family members were very emotional about his appointment based on his father’s previous experiences.

“My father had worked with almost all administrations in the state and three times he was nominated for the appointment and three times he had ironed his suit and prepared for the swearing-in, only to be dropped at the last minute.

“So today is that inauguration of my father that I did not see as a child. I thank God he is alive to see it and my children have also witnessed what I wasn’t privileged to see.”

The commissioner thanked Gov Emmanuel and his family for embracing him without segregation ever since he was introduced to them, as well as the immediate past state chairman of PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, for believing in his abilities.

“I always say there’s no self-made man. Our greatness depends on the people we serve,” he said.