Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has said he is determined to leave lasting legacies in infrastructure development as he considers it a rare privilege to govern the state.
Diri stated this on Saturday during a gala night organised by the state government in honour of members of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa.
The event rounded off the three-day 20th All-Nigerian Editors Conference held in the state capital.
According to a Sunday statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri said he treated issues of development of the state seriously, as he was aware that constitutionally, he was allowed only two terms in office.
He said, “For us, it is a rare privilege to serve our people. Opportunities like this do not come often. By the constitution of Nigeria, I am barred from contesting again as governor of Bayelsa State.
“So, the only thing that will speak for me, my deputy and most of us in this administration is the legacy that we leave in terms of both human and material infrastructure.
“Developing the state is now in our hands and we will keep doing our best in the remaining three years so that when we leave, the state will continue to feel our impact having travelled this eight-year journey in service to the people of Bayelsa State and Nigeria”.
Responding to remarks of the NGE president, Eze Anaba, Diri approved the request to institute an annual lecture to honour and immortalise a foremost nationalist and pioneer editor of Daily Times, Ernest Sesei Ikoli, an indigene of Bayelsa State, beginning in 2025.
He also granted an appeal by the Guild’s president for two interns at the state-owned Niger Delta Television, who missed out when the governor directed the employment of 13 of their colleagues when he visited the station last year.
In his address, Anaba expressed gratitude to Diri for being a perfect host and for recognising the essential roles editors play in shaping society.
Anaba also stated that the support of the governor during the conference was an indication of the importance he attached to a free and responsible press.
While highlighting the various project sites visited, he expressed appreciation to the governor, particularly for constructing an iconic media complex named after Ernest Ikoli.
In a welcome remark, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiowou Koku-Obiyai, commended the Guild for promoting excellence in journalism and for successfully organising the 20th ANEC.
The highlight of the night of glitz and glamour was the presentation of an award to Diri by the Guild and the induction of 12 new members.
Present at the event were the Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo; member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr Fred Agbedi; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Nimibofa Ayaowei, and Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Irorodamie Komonibo.
Others were the publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Sam Amuka-Pemu, presidential media aide, Tunde Rahman, Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Leadership Newspapers, Azu Ishiekwene, as well as other top editors, leaders and veterans of the media industry.
In a statement last week, the NGE, while justifying the ANEC theme, “Economic Growth and Development Strategies in Resource-Rich Country”, said while the poverty rate in Nigeria was put at about 40 per cent – with an estimated 88 million Nigerians living below the poverty line – the exchange rate, inflation and swelling energy prices remained huge concerns to many Nigerians and the global community.
On media viability and sustainability, the professional body of editors emphasised the need for media stakeholders to come out with mechanisms to support the media industry – for individual publishers and the sector as a whole, by ensuring they receive fair compensation for the use of their intellectual property and content.
