Three years gone, one year to go, yet the state of the Delta state owned media houses, Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS), Asaba, (DRTV),Warri and the Pointer Newspapers, Asaba still remain a big shame to an oil rich state where billions of naira roll in monthly from the Federal Government allocation.
The Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s led administration, no doubt since inception has channeled several billions of naira into other facet of government yet the state owned media house remain a mirage. Every now and then the state government roll out coloured adverts spread across some of the notable private owned media where huge sum of state funds are spent but in the state owned media houses, nothing to write home about.
Despite all the out cry by Deltans from every nooks and crannies, government seems not to be interested about the state owned media houses.
The Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s led administration, no doubt since inception has channeled several billions of naira into other facet of government yet the state owned media house remain a mirage. Every now and then the state government roll out coloured adverts spread across some of the notable private owned media where huge sum of state funds are spent but in the state owned media houses, nothing to write home about.
Despite all the out cry by Deltans from every nooks and crannies, government seems not to be interested about the state owned media houses.
Dr Nnamdi Onochie Addressing Uduaghan Vision Elders Council on the need to support Governor Eweta Uduaghan come 2011
When the state Information Commissioner, Mr.Oma Djebah initiated the idea for the need to have a reputable media houses in the state, the idea was immediately keyed into by the state government starting with the re-branding of the Pointer Newspapers which the Delta State government launched in Lagos in 2008 which out come was welcomed by every one.
But today, the beautiful idea of such a young man may have been dashed following the inability of the state government release funds to continue with the idea. As I talk today, the paper is still crying and begging for survival.
It would be recalled vividly that Mr. Djebah while inaugurating the Boards of Delta Broadcasting Service, Asaba and Warri recently in Asaba, said “My ministry will spare no efforts at ensuring that the three media organs of the state government perform effectively and efficiently to enlighten and educate Deltans on the polices and programmes of the state government.
It is towards the realization of the Ministry’s vision of revamping, re-engineering and re-positioning the state owned media organs for better service delivery that in November 2007, set up a 14 man committee which comprised of seasoned journalists from both the print and electronic organs across the country was set up to re-appraise the conceptional frame work and operational modalities of the establishments and come up with workable suggestions that will enhance the fortunes of the outfits and the performance of their staff”.
Ogbueshi Douglas Okolotu mapping out strategies on the way forward for the realization of Uduaghan Vision to Elders and Ward Leaders ahead of Delta North Rally for Governor Eweta Uduaghan
According to the widely traveled and experienced seasoned Journalist of international repute. “The revamping of the two electronic media establishments has been broken into three phases. The first phase is the refurbishing of the radio arms of the two stations which will commence soon, while the second phase will entail the refurbishing of the television arms. Work on the third phase will involve the refurbishing of the booster stations and the inter-connectivity of the two stations, to enable them give out better service to Deltans.
My Ministry will also ensure that in the next stage of revamping process, the Delta Printing and Publishing Company Limited, publisher of the Pointer title will be completely overhaul with the installation of brand new machines, purchase of vehicles, computers and training of staff, to improve its operations and service delivery in order to attract greater leadership and patronage from advertisers” Mr. Djebah assured.
But the big question now is that, in actual sense of the gentle man’s big ideas, has government been able to release funds for the prosecution of these laudable ideas of Mr.Djebah, the answer is as good as capita NO.
After three years, the three government media houses are still in comatose, still in shambles, still in slumber and horrible working condition, staff complaining here and there, suffering from bad working environment, what a big shame and disgrace to an oil rich state like Delta state.
This could be very shocking that a whole DBS, Asaba still hire cameras outside. Though it was learnt that about two cameras were recently bought to support the only two cameras the station had before.
Just take a look at this, In the News department, a full broadcasting outfit like DBS, Asaba, there are no vehicles, studio in a very terrible and disarray state where cut and nail jobs are carried out. Eleven years of democracy and three years of Uduaghan's administration, DBS TV is not on air for over three weeks now and the governor seems not bothered.
Just take a look at this, In the News department, a full broadcasting outfit like DBS, Asaba, there are no vehicles, studio in a very terrible and disarray state where cut and nail jobs are carried out. Eleven years of democracy and three years of Uduaghan's administration, DBS TV is not on air for over three weeks now and the governor seems not bothered.
Authentic information before this writer has it that there are certain cabal in the Uduaghan’s government who never want to see the state owned media houses grow to a standard.
A senior Director in the Ministries of Finance who pleaded for anonymity who confided in this writer disclosed that the Ministry and the Economic planning Ministry have since inception contributed to the lingering problems militating against the state owned media houses.
Explaining further, the Director who is pained over the situation stated that government can not beat its chest to tell Deltans that actually they really mean well for these media houses but rather, government prepares to channels all its resources to physical projects the people can see with their naked eyes.
According to the Director, whenever government make pronouncement for approval of funds to change the life of these media houses, these two Ministries frustrate all efforts to see that the money is released because the idea is that any money spent is a waste. “My brothers don’t be deceived government knows where the problems of these media houses lie. I want to say without fear or favour that the Information Commissioner as a young man and first timer in government has tried his best to make the media houses a haven for modern broadcasting”.
I know because of fear and as a government man, Mr. Djebah, the Information Commissioner will not tell you all this, but the truth is that he is not the cause of the predicament been faced by the state media houses that I can assure you. However I am not holding brief for him, but the truth must be told”.
Investigations carried out revealed that the equipment been used presently in the state owned electronics media houses were bought ten years ago by Hon. Young Daniel Igbrude then Commissioner of Information and all the equipment are now absolute compared to the current modern standard of Broadcasting.
Hon Onochie Nash Okonkwo supporting the Pro-Uduaghan movement at the Elders Forum For Uduaghan
A visit to AIT, Channels, and Silver Bird Television Stations in Lagos
My brothers and Sisters I must beg that you people should take the pains to visit the Asaba DBS station, you will marvel at what is going on there, all the equipment there have collapsed.
The POINTER, DBS and DRTV are gradually going into extinction with the irregular off the air and the unattractive daily and weekend Pointer which have been nicknamed “Photocopy”.
The POINTER, DBS and DRTV are gradually going into extinction with the irregular off the air and the unattractive daily and weekend Pointer which have been nicknamed “Photocopy”.
After Over 40 years of silence, these American Professors (Fraser Ottanelli -male- and Elizabeth Bird -female-) are helping Asaba October 1967 genocide survirors seek and obtain peaceful redress and bright future.
My brothers and Sisters it is a big shame that for a state like Delta blessed with enormous human and material resources, cut and nail works are still been carried out in its TV and Radio stations even the Pointer Newspapers and the workers work in a very terrible environment or are you talking of several days the Radio station will go off the air and upon all these, the government of the day is there boasting to have delivered to Deltans the dividends of democracy.
It beats ones imagination if actually the Uduaghan's government really knows all what dissemination of information is all about or the vital rolls of government owned media.
On August 27, 2009, Delta state clocked 18 years and in this digital and computer age, the state cannot boast of standard media houses to showcase its activities, what a big shame and disgrace.
Recently, the Best Sisters Health Association of Nigeria organized a step-down training on Roll Back Malaria Campaighn for community health care workers and peer educators at Oshimili North LGA, Delta State.
It would be recalled that on August 27, 2008, who is who in the media World across the globe gathered in the Prestigious Grand Hotels, Asaba to grace the state first information summit and official unveiling of the True Face of Delta (TFD) by the state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.
The event which was packaged by the state Information Commissioner, Mr. Oma Djebah had the former Secretary -General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku as the chairman of the occasion while the likes of Chief John Odey, Minister of Information Communication, Alhaji M.D. Yusuf, former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Timi Alaibe, MD/CEO, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, former Minister of Information were Guests of honour in the one day event.
The event which was packaged by the state Information Commissioner, Mr. Oma Djebah had the former Secretary -General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku as the chairman of the occasion while the likes of Chief John Odey, Minister of Information Communication, Alhaji M.D. Yusuf, former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Timi Alaibe, MD/CEO, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, former Minister of Information were Guests of honour in the one day event.
The concept of the event according to the initiator, Information Commissioner, Mr. Djebah was to bring Delta state into the World map of comity of nation against the backdrop that so many people have tagged the state with all sort of unimaginable and unprintable names to the detriment of the good people of Delta state.
The True Face of Delta (TFD) project is driven basically by a strategy assembled under the auspices of the Honourable Commissioner for Information, Mr. Oma Djebah which has Mr. Oma Djebah, Commissioner for Information as Head (TFD), Mr. Richard Mofe-Damijo, Commissioner, Directorate of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Oke Epia, Special Assistant to the Information Commissioner as Manager, (TFD), Mr. Austin Mowah—Director of Information, Delta State,Mr. Sunny Ogefere, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Norbert Chaizor, Delta Broadcasting Service, Warri and Mr. Lucky Omokri, Head, Website Unit as Members of the team.
Perception they say is every thing. In these days of media power, governments all over the world are increasingly becoming aware of the need to strategically map out information management systems to promote their efforts and showcase their development policies for the citizenry to make input.
Perception they say is every thing. In these days of media power, governments all over the world are increasingly becoming aware of the need to strategically map out information management systems to promote their efforts and showcase their development policies for the citizenry to make input.
This vibrant team said “It has also become very much important for governments, while providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive, to showcase investment opportunities in the state.
For a state like
It is against this backdrop that the TFD project comes in. True Face of Delta is a Perception-Re-ordering and strategic marketing concept aimed at promoting the rich socio-cultural heritage of Delta State, the prevailing peaceful climate, investment opportunities and the overall development strides of the Administration of His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan within the context of the Three Point Agenda (TPA).
TFD is wide in scope and reach. Its campaigns and activities will have national and international reach without losing sight of Deltans in Delta as it is one of our goals to make Deltans true Ambassadors of their homeland” they said..
Today several states like Imo, Lagos and Anambra among others have keyed into the beautiful initiative of Mr.Djebah where you can find a face of this and face of that in so many of these state across the nation.
Mr.Djebah might not be a politician but has done his best even more than these so called politicians who deserve nothing but to die by hanging, a source said.
Government house sources who confided in the writer revealed that they were sometime ago privileged to witnessed a presentation by the Information Commissioner before EXCO on the need to pay more attention to the state media houses but some persons sees it as not important and even when monies are approved they are not release which they said have hindered progress in the media houses.
The sources however warned that if before the Uduaghan’s government elapses nothing was done to the media houses, the Finance and Economic planning Ministries must be held responsible not Mr.Djebah.
According to the government house sources, Mr. Djebah’s proposals to government to revamp the state media houses were presented to government in EXCO even before government came up with the idea of focusing more attention on street lights projects, Asaba International Air-Port, Roads Dualisation, even the recently built multi-billion naira government Asaba Conference center (DOME) among others.
The governor who refuted a newspaper publication that he refused to sign the 2010 budget said "The budget was not signed because it was not ready" according to him "Government is running and we are still paying contractors, so I don’t see any reason why it should be a political issue".
The budget is made up of a total recurrent expenditure of 115 billion naira and total capital expenditure of 218 billion naira, shortly after the governor signed the bill into law; he said "I assure you that with this budget we will fast track our developmental activities for the benefit of Deltans".
Governor Uduaghan had on December 9th, 2009 presented a budget proposal of 235.71 billion naira to the Sate House of Assembly after which it was increased by the legislative arm to 322 billion naira.
Recently, Prof. Amos Utuama (SAN), chairman, Committee on the Third Anniversary of the Administration of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, in a press briefing, Thursday, 20th, May, 2010 at the Press Center, government House, Asaba had told Journalists that the state Broadcasting station (DBS), Asaba, will soon be connected to the satellite.
According to the Deputy Governor “Government was poised to reposition the TV station and this year’s budget the sum of N1.6 billion has been approved to reinvigorate the TV station, DBS and another N150 million for the Pointer Newspaper” promising that the government intends to put DBS on satellite very soon”.
Why is the revamping of the state owned media houses been politicized when the governor is aware that he uses the medium to reach out to the grassroots mostly now that another election is around the corner again.
I challenge the governor to as a matter of importance and priority to wake up to the responsibility of giving the state media houses the needed and deserve face lift, having a trusted and tested media guru with him as the Information Commissioner so that when his administration ends, his name will be written in gold.
Reacting to the pitiable condition of the media houses, Delta state 2007 Governorship Candidate, People’s Redemption Party, (PRP), Comrade Igbini Odafe Emmanuel accused Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of hiding under the ineffectiveness of the state owned gloried media houses to continue to steal state funds to the detriment of Deltans.
Comrade Igbini also lambasted the state government of losing focus in revamping the three glorified owned media houses which are in the state of comatose.
Meanwhile when contacted over the predicaments been faced by the media houses in the state, Information Commissioner, Mr. Djebah said it has not been easy at all in the past three years.
According to Mr.Djebah who debunked the insinuation from some quarters that the N1.6billion for DBS and N150million for Pointer Newspapers has been released to him stated that every challenge been faced by the sector will be a thing of the past by the grace of God as according to him those who are not in government, who don’t understand how government is run only sit somewhere and begin to talk what they don’t know.
Mr. Djebah however assured Deltans that government will do everything with its resources to see that the state has a befitting standard media houses.
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