Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, has called on professionals of Ijaw extraction to be constructive in their criticism of government.

Speaking in his office in Government House, Yenagoa, when he played host to excutive members of the Homeland Chapter of the Ijaw Professionals Association (IPA), the governor's spokesman noted that as professionals, they have a responsibility to contribute to the development of the state and the Ijaw nation while upholding the ethics of their various professions.

“Professionals are usually expected to advice, make suggestions and criticise in a manner that would enable government perform optimally. Such criticisms are expected to be constructive and not destructive.

“Professionals are also expected to be more patriotic and jettison their biases while trying to hold government accountable to the people. They often avoid insults in their criticisms as they are guided by objectivity. These should be the hallmark of true professionals,” Alabrah noted.

He urged the IPA members to always put the interest of the state and the Ijaw nation ahead of other considerations, noting that development is a continuous process, which cannot be completed by one administration.

He also called on professionals to continually build their capacity, which he said would take them far in their chosen career just as he promised to build bridges between professionals and the government.

Alabrah noted that the governor’s love for professionalism made him appoint professionals and technocrats into the state executive council and other positions.

He assured his visitors and Bayelsans at large of the determination of the Governor Diri administration to leave worthy legacies at the end of its tenure.

While calling on the body to reach out to as many Ijaw professionals as possible, he expressed appreciation to IPA for identifying with him, assuring that he will be a good ambassador of the association in government.

Earlier, leader of the delegation who is also president of the Homeland Chapter of the IPA, Mr. Iniruo Wills, stated that the visit was to identify with one of their own and congratulated him on his appointment.

Describing Alabrah as an active IPA member, he urged him to use his office to advance the ideals of the association.

Wills, a former commissioner in the state, appealed to the CPS to serve as a bridge between the association and government to enable them have the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of the state and the Ijaw nation at large.

Others on the IPA delegation were vice president of the Homeland Chapter, Arc. Alaere Raine, Lady Meg Agidee (Treasurer), Temple Abbott (Youth Ambassador), Mr. Michael Ombu (Secretary) and Mr. Ben Quickpen.

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