Benjamin Kalu tasks Abia Online Media Practitioners on professional journalism, well researched information, devoid of contents that stagnate development in Southeast, Nigeria

The Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu has called on Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN) and other media practitioners in the country to exhibit high level of professionalism in the discharge of their duty as nation builders and not destroyers.

The Deputy Speaker who made this disclosure while interacting with members of Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria who paid him a courtesy visit in Umuahia, said media practitioners as critical stakeholders play important role in the development of every nation, while inviting members of OMPAN and other media practitioners in the country to join hands with him to project Abia State, South East zone and Nigeria positively to the world.

Continuing, he urged journalists to help put the political leaders on their toes by engaging them constructively to ensure accountability and transparency through investigative journalism and well-researched information, as he further advised pressmen to seek for advancement in the Journalism profession which he said was especially expedient with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Bende Federal Constituency Representative said writing stories that create panic for pecuniary gains and to draw traffic to one’s news site will only succeed in decreasing the confidence level of the people which will in turn stagnate growth and development of not only the Southeast but also the entire country.

Audio 1

Kalu promised to work closely with the media in order to sell the South East development programmes to the whole World while he expressed optimism that the South East development commission will solve all the problems of the region through PISE-P.

He maintained that the problems facing Nigeria predate the current administration of President Bola Tinubu stressing that the President ever since he took over the reins of affairs of the country has shown intentionality in correcting what he described as age long problems accumulated by previous administrations.

Audio 2

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria, OMPAN, Abia State chapter, Promise Uzoma Okoro, congratulated Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu on his emergence as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and also as the first Abian to occupy such exalted position as number 6 citizen of the country, stressing that his impact is felt far and near.

He added that the association has come to identify with him on the basis of media partnership and relationship and to formally notify him of the association’s intention follow up on impactful projects he has embarked upon for his constituents including his activities at the Green Chamber of the National Assembly with the intention of bringing them to public knowledge beyond the shores of his Federal Constituency.

In his closing remarks, the National president of OMPAN James Emeh expressed appreciation to the Deputy Speaker for the audience granted the association as well as his promise to partner OMPAN.

Dailytrail news reports that OMPAN met the Deputy Speaker in the company of former Abia House of Assembly Speaker and currently the Commissioner representing Southeast in the FCT Civil Service Commission Rt. Hon. Martin Azubuike, Former Acting Governor of Abia state Stanley Ohajuruka, former Minister for Labour Emeka Nwogu amongst other All Progressives Congress APC big wigs.