Information Minister Labaran Maku has said that the Good Governance Media Tour is not a Federal Government’s programme, but that of the 36 states’ governors, approved by the National Economic Council (NEC).
Maku, who is the leader of the tour team, said that the programme, as originally conceived, was altered by the governors with great inputs made by them through the Nigerian Governors Forum and the NEC.
He spoke in Asaba on Thursday, during a courtesy visit to Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan, as the team began its tour of projects in the state.
Maku said that the clarification about the tour programme became necessary in view of insinuations in some circles that the tour was designed and influenced by the Federal Government.
He said that the tour was not discriminatory against states not administered by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, adding that all non-PDP states already visited had attested to the good vision and objective of the programme.
He said that leadership, “especially political leadership” was difficult in a country of high population and elite, and called for the acceptance of the good governance tour, as a national programme so that it could be sustained.
The minister cautioned that the tour concept should be devoid of partisanship if it must attain its objective, adding that it was a national discussion and programme about development and should not be likened or seen as electioneering.
“We need to develop a culture of love, unity and trust. We need to show, through this tour, what respective governments in the country are doing.
“For all we have done so far, we have seen that there is tremendous work going on in the states by all the three tiers of government and we must let our people know about them,’’ he said.
He, however, said that much of the developmental efforts of various governments were not being reported by the media and sued for closer relationship between the media and government.
“We in the media should leave quarrels and bitterness among politicians and leaders and focus on developmental efforts so that Nigerians will know what is happening around them,’’ he appealed.
In his response, Uduaghan affirmed that all governors in the country agreed on the good governance tour and commended the minister and the tour team for their selfless services.
He charged the media to check the “existing situation” where development efforts by governments were under-publicised while unimportant issues and acrimonies among individuals were given prominence daily.
He said that the media tour, just as it pertained to the governors, was an indication that President Goodluck Jonathan had nothing to hide.
The governor said that Delta was vigorously pushing forward with its three-point agenda, especially “job creation aspect of our human capital development programme”.
He explained that the programme was essentially predicated on the “Delta-beyond-Oil” initiative of the government and said that it was a task that the government must do for the betterment of future generations in the state.
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