From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Benue State Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has pledged to maintain a robust relationship with the media for the development of the state.
The governor made this pledge at the weekend during a one-day training workshop on Economic Reporting organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council, and sponsored by the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), Makurdi.
Alia, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, expressed appreciation to the media for their role in the achievements recorded by his administration in the last year.
He pledged that his administration would continue to support and partner with the media to enable them to operate in a conducive environment, just as he urged them to publish correct facts and figures to properly inform the Benue public.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of BIPC, Raymond Asemakaha, said the company had benefited immensely from its relationship with the media in the state.
He said that, due to the robust publicity enjoyed from the media, the company makes N4.4 million after-tax deductions from the sale of its bread every month.
Recall that the Benue State government commissioned the BIPC Bakery in May 2024 as part of efforts to increase the company’s businesses, create jobs, and increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The Managing Director said the N4.4 million was proceeds made from 2 million loaves of bread sold by the company monthly.
He explained that the company was in the market to break the high cost of products and also ensure that the Benue people get quality for their money.
Speaking on the topic “Financial Reporting: What the Media Needs to Know,” Asemakaha appreciated the media for what they have been doing in setting the agenda for the government and disseminating good policies and programmes of the state government.
He called on the media to continue the good work, urging them to partner with BIPC to fight corruption in the marketplace, especially concerning the high cost of food items.
He further disclosed that work on the State’s Brewery has reached 75 per cent completion, while the company intends to commence work on the Benue fruit juice company, Benfruits Company, next week.
The MD stated the need to retain cash flow within the state as a measure of salvaging the economic situation of the state. He observed that when Benue Brewery Limited (BBL) and Benue Cement Company (BCC) were ‘taken out’, it affected the inflow of cash into the state’s economy.
He, however, lamented the rising cost of foodstuffs in the state, including fruits, saying that BIPC intends to partner with other agencies to crash the rising cost of food items, which he said was on the high side in Benue.
He explained that his organisation is expected to meet with market associations to work out modalities for bringing down prices of food items, even as he advocated setting up an agency that would regulate the prices of commodities in the market.
Dr Asemakaha pledged that BIPC would grant newsmen access to the desired information. He stated that the company was open to criticism, adding that BIPC was open to working with the media to ensure accurate reporting.
Earlier, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Kula Tersoo, said the lack of trust and transparency has affected the relationship between the government and the media.
In his paper titled “Sustaining Government-Media Relationship in Nigeria in the 21st Century,” the CPS urged newsmen to guard against sensational journalism, where journalists write reports that cannot be defended or substantiated, emphasising that timely and accurate reporting makes way for a good government-media relationship.
In his goodwill message at the occasion, Stephen Numbeve, State Coordinator, RAAMP, said journalists were critical to the development of any society, insisting that any society that intends to develop and grow must endeavour to work with journalists.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Benue State Bureau for Education Quality Assurance (BEQA), Dr. Terna Francis, applauded BIPC for sponsoring the training for journalists, saying that training and retraining of human capital was critical to achieving desired results in any sector.
Terna pledged that his office is committed to partnering with the media to ensure that policies and programmes of government continue to thrive.