Leadership (Abuja)
Edem Edem
27 November 2009
Calabar — Office of the first lady of Cross River State has restricted journalists from covering the activities of Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke, wife of the state governor. Mrs. Imoke has floated many non - governmental organisations, amongst which are: Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realisation, (POWER), Mother Against Child Abandonment (MACA) and A State Fit for A Child, (ASFAC) and the REFUGE, which perform one function or the other in the state.
Power, which is about economic and financial initiatives, was said to have empowered 700 women in different trading skills through micro-credit scheme, while the MACA project was said to have focused on child abandonment. The initiative, according to source, has rescued 53 children and accommodated 30 displaced children and 27 teenage pregnant girls that have been thrown out of their homes.
ASFAC seeks to address the issues and challenges faced by children, while REFUGE provides succour to vulnerable pregnant teenagers. Another function of REFUGE is to pick abandoned babies in streets across the state. Already, the REFUGE home has over 18 babies picked across various streets of the state, while others were born in the orphanage home in Calabar. Even as some of the babies were picked from dust bins and other places, abandoned by their teenage mothers, it was disheartening to note that most of the babies were delivered by the teenage girls in the orphanage home in Calabar.
Ironically, as good as the projects are, they have suffered poor publicity as the director of Communication, Miss Marily A. Omuabor, who is the special assistant to the first lady on Media, barred journalists from covering the activities of the first lady. The latest was a one- day workshop for women involved in arts and craft, organised by POWER in conjunction with the Cross River State Ministry of Women Affairs, Tourism Bureau and GTB.
Miss Omuabor had earlier signed and issued a press release, restraining journalists from performing their constitutional duties, saying she had her own list of journalists. Miss Omuabor said the first lady didn't need the press, adding that she had those she work with. "We have our list, we don't need you. Is there any problem?" she queried.
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Why ban the other journalists? You should have nothing to hide. Remember, thru them one should get a true version of what is taking place. Also, journalism is dissemination of information. Information is knowledge, which is indeed badly needed by the people. An informed people is an educated people. There is a need for more of that in Nigeria. So do the right thing and invite (your opponents?) the other journalists to cover the different stories/activities/programs that are being held in Calabar or for that matter anywhere in the country.
As a woman, try your best to implement the type of changes that will make Nigeria a better place for all to live and work. Show your women folk they all can rise above all the corruption in the country. Invite all segments to your programs. That will show to the rest that there is openness, transparency and eventually accountability.
AS A WOMAN YOU CAN DO IT. OTHERS ARE COUNTING ON YOU TO MAKE THAT CHANGE FOR CALABAR AND FOR YOUR COUNTRY.
PEACE.