Governor Udom Emmanuel has called on the Nigerian media to promote more of what sustains the unity of the country by upholding the ethics of their profession.
The Governor stated this during the ground breaking ceremony of Daar Communications Plc Broadcast Station at Midim, Abak Local Government Area.
He said that the Media should strive to protect the sanctity of democratic tenets of celebrating what is glorious in the struggle to reduce poverty and build a viable State and country.
The Governor congratulated the Chairman Daar Communications Plc Chief Raymond Dokpesi Jnr. for the bold initiative of investing in the broadcast industry in Nigeria and the choice of Akwa Ibom State for the citing of its broadcast station.
He pointed out that the role of the media in nation building cannot be taken for granted especially in the advancement of development and intellectual knowledge. Mr. Emmanuel charged the organization to break the news and not the society and assured the Organization of the State’s preparedness to partner them in the building of a greater Akwa Ibom.
The Deputy Governor Mr. Moses Ekpo who described the event as a welcome development, observed that Akwa Ibom people particularly the Abak Community have always been supporters of government dated back to the early independence era.
Setting the tone for the event, the Commissioner for Information Mr. Aniekan Umana described the event as one of the ways of realizing the industrialization vision of the present administration to create wealth, encourage foreign direct investment as well as enrich the development content of the society.
He said that the premises was earlier occupied by the Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation AM station and expressed appreciation to the government for approving the citing of the AIT Station at Abak. Mr. Umana expressed confidence that the station will create employment and encourage skill development.
Speakers including the Abak State Constituency House Of Assembly Member, Elder Friday Iwok, the Chairman Abak Local Government Council, Dr Emmanuel Udosen, expressed delight at the decision of Daar Communications Plc to establish the Media Outfit in the area. They assured the organization a hitch- free environment.
In his remark the village head of Midim, Chief Robson Jumbo said he was delighted by the initiative to use the land for the establishment of another Broadcast Station and pledged their unflinching support to the government and the management of Daar Communication.
The Chairman Daar Communications Plc Chief Raymond Dokpesi Jnr. disclosed that the Akwa Ibom station was the 25th stations established by Daar Communication Plc and that the decision to invest in the State was informed by the vision of industrialization, wealth creation and employment generation of the present government.
Chief Dokpesi Jnr. therefore announced plans to impact knowledge through the establishment of a training school alongside the digitalized Television and Radio stations and that the organization will partner in the development drive of the State Government. He thanked the host community and the State Government for the opportunity given them.