Bayelsa: CPS, Indigenous Newspaper Publishers Parley, Brainstorm on the Way Forward for Local Media

All things being equal, the fortunes of newspaper publishers in Bayelsa State wound change for the better, if the talks held with the Acting Press Secretary to the state Governor, Daniel Alabra, is anything to go by.

Mr. Alabra was in a meeting on Tuesday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, with cross section of publishers cutting across the various newspaper publishers’ bodies at the instance of the newspaper proprietors in their bid to chart a way forward for the betterment of the local media in the state.

 In a telephone chat with Mr. Eric Eweke, Secretary of the Bayelsa Federated Newspaper Association (BAFENPA), Gesi Publications learnt that the meeting was quite fruitful, as far reaching decision were arrived at between the parties.

According to Mr. Eweke, the issue of government support for the publishers, including restoration of their hitherto stopped monthly allowance, for advertisements, invitation and access for coverage of government activities were discussed, while the Publishers commended Mr. Daniel Alabra on his recent appointment as the Acting Chief Press Secretary to the Government of Bayelsa State.

On his part, Mr. Alabra thanked the publisher for extending their hand of fellowship and promised that their request will be conveyed to the state governor, Senator Douye Diri.

We also gathered that he was accompanied on the visit by the Director-General of the Bayelsa State New Media, Mr. Kola Oredipe, among others.