The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has commended media practitioners for their unrelenting support and effective reportage of the policies and programmes of the state.
Ewhrudjakpo gave the commendation on Friday while receiving the Bayelsa Independent Publishers Association (BIPA) on a courtesy visit to him in Yenagoa.
Ewhrudjakpo, who described BIPA as a friend and partner in progress, thanked the association’s leadership for its detailed appraisal of the developmental strides of the administration of Gov. Douye Diri.
He noted that BIPA had been at the forefront of the media, telling the Bayelsa story to the world.
The deputy governor recalled how he worked closely with the association when he held sway as the state commissioner for works and infrastructure.
He promised to convey the association’s requests for an 18-seater bus and the resuscitation of their printing equipment to the governor.
“We will look into your rent issue and that of the printing machine. On your request for a bus procurement, I will convey the request to the governor for consideration.
“We will also look into the suspended stipend and do something about it,” he said.
Ewhrudjakpo, pledging his support in his little way, charged the association to sustain the prevailing congenial government-media relations in the state.
Earlier, the Publisher of Izonlink Newspapers, Alfred Egbegi, highlighted bad printing equipment, the absence of an operational bus, and the high cost of printing materials as major challenges of the association.
Egbegi applauded the Diri-led administration for its remarkable strides in developing infrastructure, security, education, and the civil service.
According to him, the association is well pleased with the performance level of the state government.
While assuring the deputy governor of a better working relationship, he appealed to the state government to reinstate their monthly stipend, suspended in 2016 in the wake of the nationwide economic recession.
He said, “All through the first tenure, culminating in the eventual elections, and now halfway into the first year of your second tenure, we have keenly followed your leadership style and effort at changing the narrative in Bayelsa State.
“We never expected the kind of development we are seeing today. You know me. For me to say this, it means you and your principal, His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, have done well.”
