…,..Says those attacking the governor are misguided
… Describes him as ‘most media friendly Nigerian governor’.
One governor whose strategic efforts in the fight against Covid-19 is yielding massive results is the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Apostle Dave Nweze Umahi.
Aside turning the state into a modern construction and engineering heaven with very little or no media coverage and publicity, Gov. Umahi is committed to the health and safety of the good people of Ebonyi.
His concern for public health and wellness is currently in display and has earned him accolades as he continues to adopt pragmatic and practical approaches towards ensuring that the doors of the state remain closed to the raging Covid-19 pandemic.
Lady Monica Chidinma Ada Eze, President and Founder of one of the most popular, vibrant and focused Non-Governmental Organisations, the David Umahi Nweze Akubaraoha Ebonyi Transformation Agenda (DUNAETA) describes the efforts of Apostle David Nweze Umahi (FNATE, FNSE), the Governor of Ebonyi State, the Lion of South East and Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum to ensure that the dreaded COVID 19 Pandemic does not find its ugly presence in any part of Ebonyi State as commendable.
Monica, Aka Ada Ebonyi, in a statement circulated to media houses in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital highlighted that Governor David Umahi’s strategic application of wisdom, inclusiveness and commitment towards ensuring that the State is COVID-19 free is not only paying off, but also setting a standard on how the menace and dreadful virus can be contained and curtailed.
Monica notes with sense of excitement that Ebonyi is few of the States in Nigeria that is yet to witness any Index case, stressing that this was only achieved based on the commitment and seriousness that the Governor has displayed in the war against the pandemic.
She stated that in furtherance of his commitment to the protection of Ebonyi people from the scourge of Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world, the Governor of Ebonyi State is personally leading the Committee set up by the State to ensure the success of freeing the State from the virus by moving from one Local Government to another on daily basis to monitor compliance with the Order of total lockdown in the State borders and entry points from 7pm to 7am and other restrictions.
Though the Governor has noticed with dissatisfaction that people are still allowed entry and exit from the borders at some communities and highways of the State despite the Order and in some cases, public office holders, including Technical Assistants (TAs), Senior Technical Assistants (STAs) and Executive Assistants (EAs) are not seen at the check points in their respective communities or duty posts while others compromise at the check points especially at night thereby endangering the health and safety of Ebonyi people and based on this ugly trend the Governor resolved that he will not hesitate to sanction any Local Government appointee or State functionary, including Council Chairmen, whose borders or entry points are used as a conduit for movement of people or vehicles into or out of Ebonyi State whether in the day or in the night except as permitted by Government Executive Order.
To demonstrate the seriousness of the governor in the protection of the lives of Ebonyi people, the governor has resolved that henceforth, Office holders from the border areas where leakages are noted or compromised, the appointees from such communities, including the Coordinators shall be removed from office and elected persons from the area shall be suspended.
Lady Monica Ada Chidinma Eze, who also doubles as the Technical Adviser on Media to Governor Umahi commends the people of Ebonyi State by cooperating with the relevant bodies set up in that regard by ensuring that they wear their facemasks on daily basis and comply with all directives to keep the State free from this dreadful virus.
Ada Ebonyi reassures all Eboyians that Governor Umahi is not doing all these either to hurt or harm anybody but to ensure that we live to tell the story of this virus and how we were saved from it by a leader whose love for his people is infectious.
The President and Founder of DUNAETA not minding all the attempts to rubbish and tarnish the image of the Governor notes that Governor Umahi stands as the most friendly Media Governor in Nigeria if his inputs towards quality and sustainable journalism is anything to go by. Apart from sponsoring most of the Journalists in the State to Holy Pilgrimage every year the Governor ensures that both the Federal and state media Houses are well funded and provided with relevant equipment to enable them discharge their duties creditably.
All these notwithstanding, Ada Ebonyi notes that the assistance and cooperation given to the Correspondents in the State is unique and unobtainable in other States and for some Media Organisations to turn round to term the Governor an enemy of the Media is very unfortunate, wicked, unjust and unfair.
Not minding that the sanctions on both Correspondents have been lifted, Monica counsels the NUJ, IPOB and the so called Ebonyi in Diaspora should have investigated why the Correspondents of both Sun and Vanguard were banned from covering events pertaining to the State before threatening to sanction and condemn the Governor for trying to protect his State from damaging reports inimical to the stability of the State.
For Chijioke Agwu of the Sun Newspaper to have reported that Lassa fever was killing Ebonyians in droves knowing what damage such a fake report can do to the State and her people and for Mr Peter Okutu of Vanguard to toe thesame line by reporting of the invasion of Army on Ohakwu Local Government when such event never happened. It will be unfair for a leader of the status of Governor Umahi to keep quiet knowing the damage such reports have done to his state.
Monica agreed with her boss that, “Ebonyi State is no longer a dumping ground where anybody can attempt to dampen the efforts of the present leadership to recreate an ideal State for our people. She says the governor plays down talking and concentrates more on practical actions with timely results and evidence speaking for themselves.
The fact remains that the journalists involved degenerated to falsehood and yellow journalism and sensationalism . No meaningful person or Government can tolerate deceit and any misrepresentation of facts to the unsuspecting public, even the journalists themselves . Such evil should be condemned by all.
She appealed to journalists to be weary of unverified and fictitious facts in order to guard against unhealthy reportage capable of wreaking havoc and throwing the state into unnecessary panic and undue apprehension.
On the allegation by the outlawed IPOB group, that Governor Umahi may have some skeletons to hide that occasioned the conflict with some Journalists, Monica describes such allegation as unfounded and the biggest joke of the year stressing that if there is any Governor who is transparent in his dealings in Nigeria that Governor is Gov. Umahi of Ebonyi State.
