BAYELSA DEPUTY GOVERNOR URGES NUJ, NBA TO EMBARK ON SELF-CLEANSING.

Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, has made a strong case for the media profession to purge itself of quackery to reclaim its lost glory and rightful place in society as the fourth estate of the realm.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo made the remark at the weekend when he granted audience to the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ at his office in Government House, Yenagoa.

Recalling the historical role played by media veterans like Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, Ernest Ikoli and others in the past, he noted that the media profession shares same fate with the legal profession that are currently buffeted by activities of quacks and lack of ethical discipline among its practitioners.

The Deputy Governor, who lamented that investigative journalism had virtually evaporated from the Nigerian media landscape due to the brown envelope syndrome, called for thorough house cleaning efforts to redeem the image of journalism in the country.

While expressing his love and respect for the two professions, which he described as noble and necessary for society, Senator Ewhrudjakpo, lamented that some lawyers like their media counterparts undermine the ethics of their profession with impunity and are now basking in corruption.

According to him, Nigeria would not be where it is today if majority of media and legal practitioners were upholding the tenets of their professions in the performance of their constitutional duties.

He, however, congratulated the new state executive council members of the NUJ and commended media practitioners for effective reportage of activities in the state and urged them to do more.

On the proposed NUJ Bayelsa Media Summit, Senator Ewhrudjakpo said the state government would participate in the event, and assured the union of support in other areas.

Speaking earlier, Comrade Tonye Yemoleigha, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Nigeria, commended the state government for its notable strides in infrastructure, human capital development and fostering a healthy working relationship with the NUJ in the state.

Comrade Yemoleigha, who informed the Deputy Governor that the NUJ Bayelsa Media Summit would redefine the Bayelsa brand in the comity of states, called on the government to give the necessary support for the program to succeed.