By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)
Governors of the South East geo-political zone of Nigeria, on Tuesday, received generous commendations from the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) for their joint efforts to address the intractable security challenges in the zone.
The commendation came amidst great concern expressed by the media executives over the existing insecurity condition, mass poverty, institutional lawlessness and erosion of democratic culture currently prevailing in the country, despite the enthronement of a new democratic leadership in Nigeria headed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The editor's professional body also praised the Bayelsa State governor, Senator Duoye Diri, for the efforts of his administration in ensuring adequate security and infrastructural development in the state in the past four years of his tenure.
The media editors expressed these commendations in a statement by the Guild's President, Eze Anaba and the General Secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, after a meeting of its Standing Committee in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, where they spent four day during their deliberations.
According to the editors, in the statement, the basic purpose of government at all levels in any given society, is to adequately secure lives and property. They pointed out that the existing insecurity and apparent failure in the system was because government failed to live up to its statutory obligation.
The NGE stated that it has observed that the prevailing insecurity "has led to the needless loss of hundreds of innocent lives, and has adversely affected social activities, as well as the nation’s economy.
‘’We hope that the security summit, which has been initiated by the governors in the zone slated for Owerri, the Imo State capital, between Thursday, September 28, and Friday September 29, 2023, will help to address the issues’’.
According to the editor's statement, the insecurity situation in the South East geo-political zone is downright inimical to the general safety of the country. They expressed optimism that the South East Governor's will fashion out an efficacious remedy to the increasing security threats in the South East and elsewhere.
The editors also observed that the Bayelsa state governor, Duoye Diri, has placed high premium on security and road construction to link up all the communities, local councils and other difficult areas in the state.
They particularly pointed out the road projects in the state, both completed and still on-going, to include the Nembe-Brass road, the Yenagoa- Southern Ijaw road, the Ekeremor-Sagbama road and the Igbogene-Ojopa dual carriageway which was commissioned in the state recently by the Sultan of Sokoto. These road projects, the editors reasoned, have the propensity to improve the economic prospects of Bayelsa State.
Besides, the NGE hoped that the new road networks in the state will precipitate development across the entire Bayelsa and consequently help curb regional militancy, youth restiveness and engender job creation.
Governor Diri's administration was also commended by the editors for using drones technology in the distribution of medicine in the state, in partnership with Zipline, an innovation which has made distribution of drugs to hospitals and health centres in rural communities smooth and quite early.
On the abduction and eventual killing of Hamisu Danjibga, a reporter with the Voice of Nigeria (VON) in Zamfara State, the NGE described the incident as condemnable and unacceptable. They called on the nation's security agencies to unravel the circumstances of the killing and urgently bring the culprits to book.
They also expressed concern over the recent abduction of 33 persons, including 24 students of the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, and called for a more effective security arrangements to safeguard all citizens of the country. NNL.
