Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, yesterday, challenged journalists to be objective and factual in reportage just as he called practitioners to shun sensationalism and practice true and developmental journalism.

Ukah, who was sworn into office alongside other 12 commissioners on Tuesday, also said journalists should verify facts and information made available to them before rushing to the press, this, according to him, would save media organisations from unnecessary litigations which could drain the lean resources available to them.

Ukah, whose appointment into the Ministry of Information was said to be the brain work of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and Gabriel Ogbechie, owner of Rain Oil, said: “Journalists should be open and clarify information from government officials before telling us something that is wrong.”

The commissioner who would have been replaced with Professor Andy Egwunyenga, former Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi Uku, added that the people of Delta State needed to know the truth of government programmes and how government was going about it by giving them necessary and accurate information they needed.

On his appointment as information commissioner, Ukah said: “I am glad because I feel that information is very important and joining the media team of Governor Okowa, I have no doubt in my mind that we are going to come up with something very important as far as information dissemination is concern.”

He disclosed that a lot of positive developments have taken place in the state within the first 100 days of the present administration, pointing out that Deltans needed to sing their songs, even as he said that Delta State government, under Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has a deliverable programme.

The commissioner said: “I am very happy that I am going to lead a team that would let the world know what we are doing, how we are doing it and how we are going to do more,” just as he affirmed that there would be vibrant media tools in the state.

“Our newspaper (The POINTER) would be very vibrant, our television and radio stations would also be very vibrant. Not only would they be very vibrant, we are going to redefine their areas of focus and jurisdiction,” he added.

•Photo shows Ukah.

Update news