By Francis Sadhere, Warri
The Warri, Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency (WUEDA) has urged journalists to strengthen investigative and verification practices in their reportage to prevent misinformation and promote sustainable development in Warri, Uvwie and adjoining communities.
The Director General of WUEDA, Hon. Prince Okakuro Godwin Eguriase Ejinyere, gave the charge on Monday when the newly inaugurated executives of the Warri Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) paid a courtesy visit to the agency at its headquarters within the Delta State Development and Property Authority (DDPA), Effurun.
Ejinyere said journalists had a critical responsibility to verify allegations and facts before publication, noting that inaccurate reports could mislead members of the public, damage the reputation of institutions and undermine confidence in government programmes.
He called on members of the Correspondents Chapel to see themselves as partners in development while maintaining the independence and ethical standards of the journalism profession.
According to him, journalists should go beyond reporting announcements by examining government projects, their objectives, implementation challenges and the extent to which they are improving the lives of residents.
The WUEDA boss said the agency was committed to executing quality infrastructure projects in accordance with approved engineering specifications, assuring that contractors engaged by the agency would be properly supervised to ensure compliance with required standards.
He said WUEDA’s interventions in drainage construction, road development and other infrastructure were designed to address some of the critical challenges confronting residents of Warri, Uvwie and their environs.
Ejinyere also reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration to restoring the lost glory of Warri and its adjoining areas, saying WUEDA’s interventions formed part of the broader effort to tackle infrastructural deficits in the Oil City.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Warri Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Akpokona Omafuaire, said the visit was aimed at formally introducing the new executive to the WUEDA management and strengthening the relationship between the media and the agency.
Omafuaire said the chapel would give professional attention to WUEDA’s activities, particularly its intervention projects, while ensuring that such reportage remained objective and guided by journalistic ethics.
He described WUEDA as a performing interventionist agency whose activities had become increasingly visible across Warri, Uvwie and neighbouring communities.
The former Chairman of the Delta State Council of the NUJ, Comrade Michael Ikogwu, commended Ejinyere and his team of engineers for their efforts, but stressed the need for sustained monitoring and supervision of projects to ensure contractors delivered quality work and value for public funds.
Similarly, the immediate past Chairman of the Warri Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Okakuro Okies Victor Okpomor, urged WUEDA to maintain close supervision of its ongoing projects to guarantee their quality and durability.
The visit was also attended by the Vice Chairman of the Chapel, Comrade Francis Sadhere; Secretary, Comrade Edeki Igafe; Assistant Secretary, Comrade Samuel Ogude; Treasurer, Comrade Onyekachukwu Menuwa; Financial Secretary, Comrade Success Okuchemiya; and Auditor, Comrade Odeya Ogbetuo.
Also present were the immediate past Chairman of the Chapel, Okies Victor Okpomor, and former Delta NUJ Chairman, Michael Ikogwu.
WUEDA’s Director of Administration and Finance, Ochuko Mofe-Ojeke, and Chief Accountant, Mrs. Roseline Okorigba, were among the management officials present.
The engagement highlighted the need for closer interaction between development agencies and the media, particularly as government interventions increasingly attract public attention.
While WUEDA requires effective communication of its projects and achievements, the media also has a responsibility to independently assess the quality, impact and challenges associated with such interventions.
For residents, the value of such a relationship lies not merely in publicity but in ensuring that accurate information is available about projects that directly affect their communities.
The engagement therefore provides an opportunity for WUEDA and the media to maintain an open channel through which facts can be obtained, concerns can be raised and shortcomings identified without compromising the independence of journalists.
At a time when unverified claims can spread rapidly through social media, Ejinyere’s call for proper verification also underscores the need for journalists to rely on facts and credible sources before publishing reports capable of shaping public opinion.
The partnership, if sustained on the basis of transparency and professional independence, could strengthen development reporting in Warri and its environs while ensuring that government interventions receive both the publicity and scrutiny required to deliver lasting benefits to the people.
The Warri, Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency (WUEDA) has urged journalists to strengthen investigative and verification practices in their reportage to prevent misinformation and promote sustainable development in Warri, Uvwie and adjoining communities.
The Director General of WUEDA, Hon. Prince Okakuro Godwin Eguriase Ejinyere, gave the charge on Monday when the newly inaugurated executives of the Warri Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) paid a courtesy visit to the agency at its headquarters within the Delta State Development and Property Authority (DDPA), Effurun.
Ejinyere said journalists had a critical responsibility to verify allegations and facts before publication, noting that inaccurate reports could mislead members of the public, damage the reputation of institutions and undermine confidence in government programmes.
He called on members of the Correspondents Chapel to see themselves as partners in development while maintaining the independence and ethical standards of the journalism profession.
According to him, journalists should go beyond reporting announcements by examining government projects, their objectives, implementation challenges and the extent to which they are improving the lives of residents.
The WUEDA boss said the agency was committed to executing quality infrastructure projects in accordance with approved engineering specifications, assuring that contractors engaged by the agency would be properly supervised to ensure compliance with required standards.
He said WUEDA’s interventions in drainage construction, road development and other infrastructure were designed to address some of the critical challenges confronting residents of Warri, Uvwie and their environs.
Ejinyere also reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration to restoring the lost glory of Warri and its adjoining areas, saying WUEDA’s interventions formed part of the broader effort to tackle infrastructural deficits in the Oil City.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Warri Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Akpokona Omafuaire, said the visit was aimed at formally introducing the new executive to the WUEDA management and strengthening the relationship between the media and the agency.
Omafuaire said the chapel would give professional attention to WUEDA’s activities, particularly its intervention projects, while ensuring that such reportage remained objective and guided by journalistic ethics.
He described WUEDA as a performing interventionist agency whose activities had become increasingly visible across Warri, Uvwie and neighbouring communities.
The former Chairman of the Delta State Council of the NUJ, Comrade Michael Ikogwu, commended Ejinyere and his team of engineers for their efforts, but stressed the need for sustained monitoring and supervision of projects to ensure contractors delivered quality work and value for public funds.
Similarly, the immediate past Chairman of the Warri Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Okakuro Okies Victor Okpomor, urged WUEDA to maintain close supervision of its ongoing projects to guarantee their quality and durability.
The visit was also attended by the Vice Chairman of the Chapel, Comrade Francis Sadhere; Secretary, Comrade Edeki Igafe; Assistant Secretary, Comrade Samuel Ogude; Treasurer, Comrade Onyekachukwu Menuwa; Financial Secretary, Comrade Success Okuchemiya; and Auditor, Comrade Odeya Ogbetuo.
Also present were the immediate past Chairman of the Chapel, Okies Victor Okpomor, and former Delta NUJ Chairman, Michael Ikogwu.
WUEDA’s Director of Administration and Finance, Ochuko Mofe-Ojeke, and Chief Accountant, Mrs. Roseline Okorigba, were among the management officials present.
The engagement highlighted the need for closer interaction between development agencies and the media, particularly as government interventions increasingly attract public attention.
While WUEDA requires effective communication of its projects and achievements, the media also has a responsibility to independently assess the quality, impact and challenges associated with such interventions.
For residents, the value of such a relationship lies not merely in publicity but in ensuring that accurate information is available about projects that directly affect their communities.
The engagement therefore provides an opportunity for WUEDA and the media to maintain an open channel through which facts can be obtained, concerns can be raised and shortcomings identified without compromising the independence of journalists.
At a time when unverified claims can spread rapidly through social media, Ejinyere’s call for proper verification also underscores the need for journalists to rely on facts and credible sources before publishing reports capable of shaping public opinion.
The partnership, if sustained on the basis of transparency and professional independence, could strengthen development reporting in Warri and its environs while ensuring that government interventions receive both the publicity and scrutiny required to deliver lasting benefits to the people.
