Rivers Information Commissioner, Mr Joseph Johnson, said Gov. Siminialaye Fubara was resilient and committed to the development of Rivers.
Johnson said this during an interaction with executives of Rivers Correspondents chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, on Friday in Port Harcourt.
The chapel had visited the commissioner to present him with an invitation ahead of their forthcoming Correspondents’ Week in December.
The commissioner assured the chapel of cooperation with journalists, especially representatives of the national dailies in the state.
He also promised to always key into laudable programmes of the group.
According to him, the synergy will assist to reduce unverified news reports about the government.
“Gov. Siminialaye Fubara is not loud but very strong and resilient; he is committed to the development of the state.
“Therefore, we must be able to bond as a family because if we keep thinking we are impressing the public with unverified and embellished reportage, we end up hurting our very existence by scaring away potential investors,” he said.
Johnson also said that he was planning a visit to the state commissioner of police to make some appeals and urged force to rejig its crime fighting strategies.
“I will plead with the police to stop parading suspected criminals and allow room for adjudication, as such parades rather created stigma on the status of the state and affected individuals, wether proven guilty or otherwise by competent courts.
“My second appeal would be that the Police stop roadblocks; it’s a lot easier catching a criminal in the act than letting them know that the police had sited a roadblock to hunt them down.
“The police should begin to rejig their entire crime fighting strategies because when crime is reduced, the state will enjoy a more positive ambiance for business and development,” the commissioner added.
Earlier, Mr Amaechi Okonkwo, Chairman of the chapel, commended the commissioner for his willingness to collaborate and promised to uphold the relationship in line with the ethics of journalism. (NAN)
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