**Says DOPF is reliable partner in progress
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has said that his administration is committed to addressing issues of security in the state.
Governor Oborevwori made the remark while delivering address during the annual lecture of the Delta Online Publishers Forum DOPF held in Asaba on Wednesday
In the event which was chaired by renowned public relations expert, Emma Ogidi, the governor said his administration is defining, devising, and instituting local implementable solutions to address issues of security in Delta state.
In the address read by commissioner for information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, the governor said he is deploying all necessary resources, energies, collaborations, partnerships, stakeholders engagement towards ensuring that Delta state remains peaceful and secured for all residents and investors.
He said: “As a government, the issue of security is one that is at the very core of this administration’s strategic focus and its great importance has been underscored by the fact that Enhanced Peace and Security is the fourth Component of our M.O.R.E Agenda, complimented by the other critical components of Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All and Realistic Reforms, which collectively form the MORE Agenda.
“We are very conscious of the fact that Enhanced Peace and Security creates the right atmosphere for social and economic life and it is quite obvious that the other aspects of the development agenda cannot materialize without deliberate and sustained prevalence of peace and security.
“We have built and initiated mechanisms to detect early warning signals, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and conflict control. We have equally engaged with critical stakeholders, including traditional rulers, community leaders, youths, and women, amongst others, to maintain peace and resolve conflicts.
“This administration has created platforms to encourage and promote cultural interfaces between communities, established and maintained channels for policy and programmes feedback from the grassroots and stakeholders, especially through our town hall meetings, engaged our youths in productive and gainful employment through our social safety net schemes and initiatives to mitigate youth restiveness and collaborated robustly with all security agencies in the state, by providing logistics and operational support in the maintenance of law and order.”
To underscore the governor’s commitment to security, he said the state government donated 31 operational vehicles to the police and other security agencies to strengthen their efficiency and enhance the joint security operations “in our domain through our existing security special purpose vehicle, now code-named “Operation Delta Sweep.”
He said the donation was prompted by the general insecurity experienced in the country and as part of his administration’s commitment towards enhancing peace and security, the existing state joint security force formerly known as ‘Delta Hawk’ has now been rebranded to ‘Operation Delta Sweep,’.
According to the governor: “Our security agencies deserve commendation for their robust responses and action which have recorded significant successes in combating crimes such as illegal oil bunkering, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and drug-related offences, and the rebranding of the joint security force reflects this administration’s resolve to embrace our own indigenous, pragmatic strategies to reduce crime to its barest minimum.”
Governor Oborevwori said his administration “remains committed to providing the necessary support to ensure peace and security in Delta State and with the measures we have put in place so far, we are confident that our people will enjoy a secure and peaceful state going forward.”
He commended members of the Delta Online Publishers Forum, DOPF, saying they “have remained reliable partners in progress, not only in reporting and promoting the MORE Agenda of this administration, comprehensively but for also embarking on this annual intellectual discourse which has continued to interrogate and expand the frontiers of our national conversation on salient and germane issues.”
“We give kudos to DOPF for the courage and commitment to conceptualize and deliver a quality event of this nature and assure you that this administration remains irrevocably committed to openness and transparency in the business of governance.
“We see the press, particularly the online newspapers practitioners, as partners in development and we are committed to providing the conducive and enabling environment for them to continue to discharge their journalistic duties and responsibilities in the collective interest and well-being of our people.
“The only thing we desire is that journalists and owners of media establishments should please fact-check their information with relevant government officials before publication for accuracy, fairness, and balance, in line with the ethics of the profession.
“They should not resort to blackmail or the very disturbing penchant of media trials, persecution, cyber bullying and premature judgements against anybody or institution, until the the proper agencies and courts of law have investigated, deliberated and pronounced on such situations.
“The media has a powerful social and cultural impact on the society and thus, it should reflect and project the positive image of the society, especially in this day and age of new media, so it is equally imperative for media entrepreneurs and practitioners to embrace the dissemination of news and information that will promote national unity and harmony as a major priority.”
