Cross River Vows to Sustain State Newspaper

Story by crossriverwatch admin

Calabar — The Commissioner for Information in Cross River State, Chief Akin Ricketts, has vowed that despite the state lean finances, government will ensure the sustainability of one of the oldest newspapers in Nigeria, The Nigerian Chronicle.

Ricketts made the resolve in Calabar at a capacity-building workshop to boost the capacity of the newspaper’s editorial staff.

Expressing shock at the continual decay of the newspaper, established in 1971, which has churned out big names in the Nigerian journalism history, he said that it was the desire of Governor Liyel Imoke to ensure that Nigerian Chronicle, once a household name in Nigeria, regained its past glory.

He advised the participants to make use of the training workshop to improve professionally so as to meet the growing demand in the media world.

Earlier in her speech, to declare the 5-day workshop open, the State Head of Service, Mrs. Mary-Theresa Ikwen, said government had been taking seriously the training and retraining of its work force.

Ikwen said that the state government attached much importance to the growth of media practitioners in the state, and that informed its approval of the training.

She said that media practitioners in The Nigerian Chronicle were seasoned, tested and experienced people who in spite of several challenges, stood tall and committed to their work.

She commended them for projecting the image of the state government through their write ups and other publications.

The General Manager of the newspaper commended the government for its interest in sustaining the newspaper and assured that the editorial staff would work to reciprocate the confidence reposed on them.