Rep Ogene bags NUJ award, tasks media to hold public office-holders accountable

Rep Ogene bags NUJ award, tasks media to hold public office-holders accountable

By Jeffrey Agbo

A member of the House of Representatives, Victor Ogene, has been presented the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Distinguished Professional Service Award.

The legislator, who represents Ogbaru federal constituency of Anambra, was presented the award at a two-day summit of the NUJ, South East Zone with the theme: “South East: Towards A Robust Economic Blueprint For Sustainable Development” which started in Awka, Anambra State capital on Tuesday.

Ogene, chairman of the House Committee on Renewable Energy, and Labour Party (LP) Caucus leader, tasked media professionals on ensuring that public office-holders give account of their offices.

The lawmaker’s lecture was delivered on his behalf by Dean of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Prof. Collins Okafor. He said the current hardship in the country and the consequent mass unrest was because of bad governance and inability of leadership to enthrone a new order.

He, however, enumerated so many challenges limiting performances of media practitioners ranging from poor remuneration, lack of access to information, intimidation among others.

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Despite the challenges, Ogene stated that media practitioners have recorded milestones in advancing governance, stating how the media exposed mishandling of petroleum subsidy payment, issues relating to poor electricity supply, exposing of corruption in governance and failures in campaign promises.

Keynote speaker, president and chairman, Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku, lamented that Nigeria was designed for the citizens to continue to fight each other.

He also decried corruption in the country and urged that unless there was a deliberate effort to redesign the country on a path of sustainable development to stop it from wobbling it would never see progress.

The national president of NUJ, Chris Isiguzor, represented by the national secretary, Achike Chude, and vice-president of NUJ, South-East zone, Emma Ifesinachi, agreed that the country is currently on the crossroads.

Isiguzo stated that Ogene as a professional journalist has made sterling contributions towards improving the country. He added that the award presented to him was to showcase him to the youths for emulation and to challenge him to do more.

Ifesinachi said the summit was planned to produce action plan to improve governance in the country and urged governments in the South-East zone to co-opt journalists to be part of governance in the zone.