From DST Min. Information
The Commissioner for Information, Delta state, Chief Patrick Ukah, has expressed concern in the sustainable regulation of the practitioners of the online media.
The commissioner, who made this known today when he appeared as a special guest of the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) programme tagged ‘Frontline’, said that the online media was prone to so much abuse but expressed satisfaction that the leadership of DOPF was willing to embrace internal control mechanism of its members.
While saying that he had so much belief in the capacity of the online media to build the society for better, he called on the leaders and members not to relent but to strive to ensure that they were not balkanized.
Chief Ukah, who was responding to some issues raised, said that he had never attempted to suppressed stories but believe in dialogue with the media to see and hear the side of government through conviction.
On the Outside Broadcast (OB) Van parked at the Commissioner’s Quarters in Asaba, the commissioner said that though the van was completely analogue and it would cost the equivalent of the a new one to replace it to digital, keeping it at the quarters was to ensure it was not vandalized.
He said plans had been concluded to purchase a new OB Van for servicing both DBS station in Asaba and Warri, arguing that it was more economical to manage and maintain than purchase separately for the two stations.
He emphasized the need for content in the broadcast outfits in the state, saying that was the best way to attract loyal audience adding that the state government had put in place every arrangement to commence the digital switch over.
The commissioner, while saying that the Government Printing Press had been repositioned for commercial services to the general public, assured that arrangement would be put in place to make the Ministry of Information Bulletin be produced on both Saturdays and Sundays.
In assessing Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the information commissioner said that there was need to critically look at the concrete things the governor had done across the state, citing the feat of constructing solid roads in the riverine areas, an achievement he said, had never been attempted previously, adding that the governor was God sent to salvage the state.
On the next political dispensation, Chief Ukah said that he was not troubled being a professional in several areas from marketing to advertising and public relations, saying that he worked with a governor that knew everyone around him and no one could lobby him.
He however noted that a solid arrangement had been put in place in the Ministry of Information and its parastatals in a way that whoever was coming would find it easy to build on.