Media
NUJ Honours Diri, Deputy, Alaibe With Excellence Awards in Bayelsa

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa State council has recognized the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and the Former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Ndutimi Alaibe with an award of excellence for their various contributions to the practice and development of journalism in the state.
Also honoured were three members of the House of Representatives from the State, Hon.
Preye Oseke, Hon. Fred Agbedi and Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli for their performance in the last three years and contribution towards Journalism practice in the State.While Diri was recognized with Media Icon of the Year award, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe awarded the NUJ Man of the Year award.
The State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and the duo of Hon. Oseke, Hon. Agbedi and Hon. Sunny-Goli were awarded with Award of Excellence. The management of the Nigerian Content, Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) also emerged as the Best Content Promoter of the Year.
Diri, while speaking at the secretariat of the NUJ tagged “NUJ Press Week 2022” with the theme “Investigative Journalism; Key for Peace and Development in Nigeria, urged media practitioners to rise to the occasion and counter the rising invasion of quack and yellow journalism into the media practice, “the essence, and the revered place of journalism as the fourth estate of the realm is been eroded by the unprofessional manner social media influencers and bloggers practice the trade”
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, regretted that most social media practitioners don’t do proper background check before publication, wherefore, they often published instigative and untrue stories, calling on the conventional media to rise to the challenge as their usefulness was greatly threatened by the social media.
Delivering the key note address, titled “Investigative Journalism: Key to Peace and Development in the Niger Delta”, the former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe called on media practitioners to follow the footsteps of legendary Earnest Sessi Ikoli in order to write against injustice and promote development journalism.
Alaibe, who was represented by a lecturer in the Department of Agriculture, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Doctor Achimota Dickson, charged journalists to beam their searchlight into the reason why the Federal Government and administrators of the NDDC have failed to execute the Niger Delta development master plan.
While the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Executive Officer, CEO Ayalla Group of Companies, Chief Robert Enogha said investigative journalism should not always be about reporting a negative and secretive occurrences advising newsmen in Bayelsa State to tell the good story of the Ijaw man.
The Royal Father of the day, Chairman, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, King Bubaraye Dakolo while highlighting the significance of investigative journalism to societal development, explained that it is only through such reportage that the alleged involvement of top government functionaries and security personnel in oil theft in the Niger Delta region could be brought to the fore.
In separate good will messages, Director New Media to Governor of Bayelsa State, Kola Oredipe and Chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Bayelsa State, Alambo Datonye advised journalists in the area to build their capacity by training and re-training in order improve their productivity.
Media
Kogi Journalists Partner KGIRS On Tax Administration Enlightenment

From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Practicing Journalists in Kogi state have expressed readiness to partner with the State Internal Revenue Service on tax administration enlightenment and adequate publicity of its activities.
Chairman, Correspondents’ Chapel, Kogi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Segun Salami, gave the indication when he led his members on a visit to the Executive Chairman of KGIRS, Alhaji Salihu Sule Enehe.
Salami promised a robust collaboration with the agency in creation of public awareness on the need for all taxable citizens to embrace prompt payment of their personal income taxes.
“Our task as journalists is to assist the agency in meeting up with its target of revenue generation for Kogi government through our social responsibility duty of enlightening the people to key into regular and prompt payment of their taxes as when due
“Journalists also owe it as a duty to alert citizens on the need to contribute their quota towards the development of their state and the nation in general by meeting up with their financial commitment on prompt tax payment”
Salami advocated for quarterly media interaction with the agency as part of the partnership move in publicising its activities.
He commended the Executive Chairman and his management team for the resouding success so far recorded in generating more revenue for the state government to provide the needed democracy dividends to the people.
Responding, the Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, Alhaji Salihu Sule Enehe, expressed delight over the prevailing cordial relationship between his angency and practicing Journalists in Kogi since assumption of office.
He promised to sustain the feat in the interest of both parties geared towards achieving accelerated transformation of Kogi.
Enehe also gave an assurance that he would live above board under the partnership agreement which according to him would go a long way in improving the agency’s services of mobilizing resources for the development of the state.
Media
Nami, Ex-FIRS Chairman Receives Top10 Magazine ‘Man of the Year 2023’ Award

Health
ICRC Trains 25 Journalists on First Aid Treatment in Yola

From Yagana Ali, Yola.
The International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC) has organized a three -day training for 25 journalists on effective First Aid Treatment to prospective casualties.
The workshop, which took place in Yola drew the beneficiaries from different media houses across the state.
In a presentation, Communication Field Officer of the organization, Lemdi Edmond took the participants memory lane from its cradle to limelight.
He pointed out that ICRC intervenes basically in crises involving armed conflicts translating to man -made or unnatural disasters.
Edmond further explained that while the International Federation of the Red Cross intervenes in the area of natural disasters, like flood and earthquake, the National Red Cross Societies handles both natural and man – made situations.
The Communication Field Officer identified seven principles of the Committee to include humanity, impartiality,Neutrality and independence among others.
On their parts, First Aid and Pre-hospital Care Field Office Yola and Abuja respectively, Charity Maxwell and Daniel Ebodor jointly exposed the participants to the meaning, relevance and significance of the First Aid.
They maintained that First Aids basically aimed to save life, prevent condition from further deteriorating and promote speedy recovery.
They identified truthfulness, sympathy, resourcefulness, tolerance and empathy among others as qualities of a good First Aider.
The duo also enumerated and extensively explained Primary Survey variables relating to First Aid as Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing and chest compression.
Interestingly, the participants were vigorously engaged in practical First Aid treatment on various aspects having to do with Burns, Fainting, Fracture and bleeding among others.
Highlights of the training were questions and answers, presentation of certificate and First Aid Kits to the participants