Mark Charges Media To Partner With NASS

Senate President David Mark has charged the media to partner with the National Assembly for the progress of the nation.

Speaking while inaugurating the Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Mark said the media should go beyond the dissemination of information to educate people on issues that impact their lives.

“I urge the media to cooperate with the National Assembly as partners in progress. If we report only the bad things about this country, we are not helping the country to grow.

“The National Assembly is prepared to work with the media for the progress of the nation. Don’t always see us as enemies,” Mark said.

The Senate President blamed some of the frictions between the legislature and the media on the desperate activities of certain politicians.

“Sometimes, I don’t blame the media but some desperate politician who sponsors papers that are only in circulation in the area where his opponents live just to run them down,” he said.

In his speech, the Chairman of the committee, Sen. Enyinnaya Abarib, said that the committee was key to strengthening the relationship between the public and the Senate.

“This committee is the gateway to understanding the workings of the Senate and a link between the Senate and the public.

Abaribe gave the assurance that the committee would live up to its responsibilities by pushing the agenda set by the Senate President.

“We will make sure that what we do will impact positively on the people. I assure you that the agenda set by the Senate President would be followed to the letter,” he said.

He also promised that the committee would partner with all government-owned media organisations to boost their competitive edge.

“The committee will partner with government media and help them to widen their scope of operations as well as make them competitive.

“Henceforth, this committee will be proactive in information management rather than being reactive.

The committee chairman also announced plans to establish call centres and Internet facilities to ensure that the public was kept abreast with activities of the Senate