INCLUSION OF MEMBERS IN PUBLIC INFO MGT COMMITTEE; BAYELSA NUJ APPLAUDS GOV DICKSON

INCLUSION OF MEMBERS IN PUBLIC INFO MGT COMMITTEE; BAYELSA NUJ APPLAUDS GOV DICKSON

The Bayelsa State Council of the Nigeria Union Journalists says the appointment of two of its members, Kola Oredipe and Tarinyo Akono as members of the Public Information Management Committee will not in any way affect the tenets of freedom of speech and free flow of information in the State, as enshrined in the constitution.It would rather enhance the practice of Journalism in the State as it would eliminate disinformation and speculative journalism in the State.

A statement by the Secretary of the State Council of the NUJ, Mr. Samson Opokuma noted that, preceding the inauguration of the committee, the NUJ was worried at the level of rumour mongering in the State and was taking steps to check it.The statement further commended the state Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson for setting up the committee and charging it to also take steps to reverse the fast degenerating moral values and ethical standards in the State.

It described the inclusion of about seven media personalities, including members of the NUJ in the committee as a step in the right direction and most timely, noting that the press as watchdog of society is better placed more than any other group of professionals to properly disseminate information and educate the people on happenings in Government and elsewhere.

The Bayelsa NUJ scribe also called on members of the union to rally round their members and the entire committee with a view to ensuring that they render quality and fulfilling services to the Government and people of the State.It would be recalled that, Governor Seriake Dickson had inaugurated the Public information management committee with a mandate to regularly interface with members of the public to filter and scrutinize the true position of every information before disseminating it, if need be as well as educate them on moral and ethical values.

The committee is among other things also expected to investigate the source or sources of unfounded and destructive rumours as well as educate unsuspecting members of the public to be able to decipher between the truth or otherwise of every rumour.It is hoped that with such regular cross pollination of ideas between the committee and the public, especially the vulnerable group, both within and outside Government, rumours, which have caused enormous distraction and damage to both Government and private individuals will be checked, if not completely eliminated.

The highly destructive place of rumour mongering have long been identified in the State, hence successive governments, including the immediate past administration even created separated offices to specially deal with it. The committee, which was not given any time frame to within which to complete this all important assignment, is made up of NUJ members, RATTAWU, NIPR, the social media, market woman leader, traditional ruler and other relevant and strategic organizations within the State.