Special Adviser to Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Dennis Akura, has promised to strengthen the existing bond between the government and the media in the state.
Akura made the pledge on Friday in Makurdi, when members of the Correspondents’ Chapel, paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
He said Journalists play key roles in the development of the society, stressing that their roles would never be undermined.
“The bond we share will be further strengthened so that the new Benue promised by Gov Alia would be known to the world through you even as the governor fulfills his promises,” he said.
Akura said the underdevelopment witnessed in local government areas of Benue would soon be over with the coming of this administration.
“This government will improve the workings of the local government by ensuring that rural roads are graded so that security agents could easily move to crisis areas.
“The graded roads will enable rural dwellers and farmers to move their goods to the markets.
“We are going to grade rural roads so that security agents can move to problem areas easily and rural dwellers can also transport their goods to the markets to avoid wastage,” he promised.
He, therefore, charged the correspondents to keep the local government chairmen on their toes by ensuring that their activities were adequately reported.
He also tasked them on balanced reportage, advising that they should not be compromised.
Earlier, the chairman of the correspondents, Mr Emmanuel Antswen, sought synergy with the adviser and the bureau for members of the pen to discharge their duties diligently, observing that the office was a very sensitive organ of the government.(NAN)
