Akwa Ibom State Government has stepped up plans for the rehabilitation of its Newspaper- The Pioneer for optimal performance and greater dividends.
The Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong made this known yesterday when the executive members of the Pioneer Newspaper Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, paid him a courtesy call in his office.
Comrade Ini Ememobong who expressed appreciation to the Management and Staff of Akwa Ibom State Newspapers Corporation, publishers of the Pioneer Newspaper, for keeping the paper afloat till now in the face of its teething challenges, assured them of the government’s readiness to rehabilitate the corporation for optimal performance and greater dividends.
He said, that in addition to plans to provide the Corporation with a befitting Corporate headquarters building, the government will also look into ways of providing the staff with a conducive work environment and tools to assuage the poor conditions presently facing workers of the corporation.
Represented by his Permanent Secretary, Akparawa James Edet at the occasion, the State Information helmsman urged staff of the Pioneer Newspaper to undertake self-improvement to acquire skills that will conform with the present day fast growing technology in the media space.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Pioneer Newspaper Chapel of the NUJ, Comrade Peter Bassey had said the Union was in the Ministry to firstly congratulate Comrade Ini Ememobong on his re-appointment as the Honourable Commissioner for Information and to acquaint him with the plethora of challenges plaguing the State-owned Newspaper, The Pioneer.
Comrade Peter Bassey listed some of the challenges to include: functional utility vehicle, dearth of work tools, obsolete computer systems, lack of conducive working environment, lack of wear-in allowance and lack of incentives, among others.
He solicited for government’s urgent intervention to keep the Newspaper from extinction, especially in the face of dwindling economic realities.
The event which featured the presentation of copies of the 2024 State Calendar to Union executives, was attended by management staff of the Ministry.
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