By Nofisat Adeoye
The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has said that no sensible and responsible Government would want to make life difficult for its people.
Aregbesola said this at the grand finale of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Osun State Chapter Correspondents’ Chapel 2017 Press Week in Osogbo.
The State Governor debunked the news that his Government is intentionally withholding workers’ salary, saying that his Government has only been incapacitated.
Aregbesola wondered why a Government would want to make life difficult for its people when its primary role is the welfare and wellbeing of the people.
While reviewing the topic of the Press Week themed “Media Effectiveness; Panacea to Nation’s Democratic Challenges, the Osun Chief Executive urged journalists to rise to the challenges facing the country, saying the media should set standards and agenda for the Government.
Lamenting how modern day journalists have forgotten their main duty to the society and now commercialize news, Ogbeni said the elites used the effectiveness of the media helped in the country’s independence.
He said the media must foresee problems and proffer solutions to it, adding that the media are supposed to work hand in hand with the government to achieve a better society.
“The media should set agenda for development, If you see corruption, report corruption, challenge corruption. It is the duty of the media to foresee the country’s problems and proffer solutions to it. It is so sad to see papers lying.
“The media should rise to the global challenge of hunger and poverty, it must stand against anything that threatens true federalism and not criticize governments.
“The elites used the media to gain Nigeria’s independence then but now our press men criticize those even trying to make things better, they have failed to set standards for the government. Instead of looking at the larger picture, our media are clamouring for the salary of the less than 5% of the population. Look at the roads, the schools, our security system which has all been improved but the media won’t report that rather they criticize.
“I can boldly say that Aregbesola’s administration has succeeded amazingly. I urge our press men to rise to the country’s challenges and work with the government to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people.” He added.
