Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has apologized to journalists in the State over his recent ban of two of their members: Vanguard and Sun Newspapers’ correspondents.
Umahi, who rendered the apology during a statewide broadcast and media briefing, held at the new Government House, Centenary City, Abakaliki, on Tuesday, described the action as unintentional.
He noted that the press had been partners in the development of the State, and called on all and sundry to sheathe their swords and work with love for the greater good of the State.
Umahi reemphasised that everyone should be included in the State Government’s palliatives irrespective of party, religion or other social considerations.
Umahi, who officially announced the lifting of the ban on the two reporters, assured journalists in the State of their inclusion in the socio-economic palliatives of the government and appealed to them to always verify their information properly before putting them into public domain.
According to Umahi, over 15,000 households have so far been documented for the Federal Government cash transfer, amounting to over 90,000 persons.
He advised anyone who experiences or notices any fowl deal in the collection of names for any of the palliative to report to the security agencies or the government committee for necessary actions.
Umahi stressed: “Everybody is our own, even to the Press.
“They are going to get palliatives.
“In my earlier speeches, I have directed that the unfortunate incident with the press is not intentional.
“But we are all here to build the State.
“So I am asking everyone to disregard whatever that happened, see press as our own partners in progress and work together.
“But we just advice them to cross check information because I hear more than they hear.
“There are certain write-ups that people are very sad about and you never can tell.
“So that’s why I appeal: let everyone down tools.
“Let us see ourselves with love and work together
“I specifically said that Vanguard and Sun reporters should be invited.
“As a father, you beat a child with one hand, you bring him back with the other hand.
“I believe strongly that if anybody intentionally wants to pull you down, he can’t pull you down standing.
“He will l go down with you and you may even rise before him.
“And the single way to succeed in life is to be happy with success and that is the spiritual way of growth.
“So I want to invite the press on a partnership and also ask them to please, help us to build the State.
“We are not asking for preferential reporting.
“Nobody says you should not report the truth, but don’t report false against us because we know our State is peculiar.
“I think everyone has forgotten about it and I want to welcome you back and ask for your partnership.”
The phone-in programme and statewide broadcast was proceeded by an enlarged security meeting, which lasted over an hour.
Recall that the governor and some journalists in the State had been in ra unning battle over the arrest and subsequent “life ban” on the State Correspondents of The Sun and Vanguard Newspapers: Chijioke Agwu and Peter Okutu, from appearing in any government facility across the State.
These development had attracted wide criticism, raising serious concern among well meaning citizens across the State and beyond.
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