Ondo State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan, has stated that the cooperation and support from journalists in the state would make the Federal Government fast track the approval of Port Ondo.
The Commissioner said this in his office while receiving the leadership of the Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), yesterday.
Pastor Igbasan urged them to use their professional investigative skills and reportage to write, analyze and project to the world the potentials of and benefits, which Port Ondo will bring to the state in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
“Port Ondo is the only area having the size and depth of a real seaport in the country”, he said.
“If You look at all the Ports in Nigeria, from Badagry to Apapa, Onne and Asaba, they are all River Ports. The only place with all the attributes of a Seaport is in Ondo State.
“We have done all the paperwork required by law and also paid the required application fee. Use your talents to tell the world that Port Ondo deserves approval.”
He explained that the State government is working on the Information Ministry to make it meet modern-day publicity of its activities.
He let out that the state would continue to engage the media in its activities to continually portray the government in good light.
Igbasan further disclosed that the state government has been getting national and international awards and recognition as the best in terms of budgetary transparency.
According to him, “A recent Poverty Index Report published by the National Bureau of Statistics says Ondo has the least poverty rate in the country, adding that the state intends to maintain its leading position among states in Nigeria.
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However, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Bayo Phillip applauded journalists for projecting the state favourably to the world as well as appealing to them for more cooperation and support to enable the world to know how the government is delivering dividends of democracy to the people.
Speaking, NUJ Chairman, Prince Leke Adegbite noted that journalists in the state would always support any government program that benefits the people.
Adegbite commended the government’s achievements on infrastructural development and budgeting, saying the accolades coming from local and international organizations are well deserved.
He implored the Commissioner to improve funding of the State media houses and the media as a whole, adding that the Fourth Estate is the only sector operating without budgetary allocation.
The NUJ Chairman requested the government to streamline the tax payment system to put an end to multiple taxations in the state.
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