Abia Chief of Staff Hails Media’s Role in Good Governance, Pledges Stronger Collaboration with Journalists

The Chief of Staff to Abia State Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, has commended the media for holding leaders accountable, describing the press as a “pivotal partner in restoring sanity and orderliness in society.”
Pastor Ajagba made the remarks during a visit to the Correspondents Chapel of Abia State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
“There is no platform to be able to hold leadership at all levels accountable, whether in government, whether in business, whether in the communities,” he said. “We find out that people have a tendency to do whatever they like and to get away with it. And I think that the press has been a pivotal partner in restoring sanity and restoring order and orderliness in the society.”
For this critical role, he said the government would not gag the Press but rather deepen its collaborate with the media.
“We are not telling you, look, if you see what is not going well in this administration, you should keep quiet. His Excellency has never done that. He will never do that because if that is done, you are gagging the press. And once that is done, you find out that the society will not be better for it,” he said.
He stressed that government and the press are not in competition but it’s objective criticism would help the Goveror Otti-led administration to do better.. “With your oversight function in terms of what we do, the way you look at things from different angles, I think it can really help us as a government to do better,” he said.
“One hand cannot wash itself and it becomes very clean. By the time two hands come together, rubbing, interacting, collaborating, you’ll find out that everything will become clean. And it is better for our society. It’s better for Abia. It’s better for humanity.”
The Chief of Staff noted that because of Governor Otti’s style of governance and achievements, Abia has become a model for other states. He pointed to an “upsurge in terms of the number of people coming into Abia State” and rising property values as evidence of development.
“Before now, nobody even cared to know what was happening in Abia. But suddenly, even the properties have gone up. That’s to tell you that good things are happening,” he said.
According to him, Abia would be a marvel to behold by the time Governor Otti spends eight years in office.
“By the time he is able to complete his four years, and by God’s grace, goes for another four years, I’m sure you will not even recognize this place as your state.” saying that many people now visit Abia to verify reports of transformation.
“Many people even think that it is miraculous,” he said of the state’s transformation in less than 36 months. “But of course, nobody can do this kind of thing except God empowers it. So what you have seen is a combination of man’s ingenuity, judicious management of resources and God’s abiding faithfulness.”
Pastor Ajagba thanked the Chapel for its work and promising continued collaboration.
Earlier, the Chapel Chairman, Comrade Steve Oko, had welcomed the Chief of Staff to the Chapel office and hailed him for his favoursble disposition to joirnalists in the state.