Cross River State Deputy Governor, Peter Odey, on Saturday in Calabar, strongly urged media aides and journalists to deploy accurate and balanced reportage as a critical strategy to attract investment to the state.
He made this call during a two-day masterclass training programme on AI, data analytics, and law in communication, organised by the Agba Jalingo Foundation for Investigative and Accountability Journalism.
Odey stressed the impact of media messaging on the state’s economic prospects.
He told the participants, who included media aides to the governor, press secretaries to council chairmen, and journalists, of their responsibility, stating, “The media plays a critical role in shaping perception. When you tell our story positively, you help investors see the opportunities that abound in Cross River State.”
He also used the forum to commend the initiative by Agba Jalingo and his foundation, describing the Master class as “timely and strategic.”
This was contained in a statement issued by the Founder of AJFIAJ, Agba Jalingo, and sent to PUNCH Online on Saturday.
The training was designed to strengthen the professional capacity of media practitioners in action planning, networking, and public communication, which are deemed essential tools for effective governance and building public trust.
In the statement, Agba Jalingo explained the foundation’s core mission, stating, “Our goal is to build a Cross River where transparency, fairness, and accountability are the norm rather than the exception. We want to empower journalists and media aides with the tools, data, and ethical strength to hold power accountable and tell the people’s stories responsibly.”
Further enhancing the discourse on effective communication, a senior journalist and public relations expert, Alhaji Rasheed Zubair, delivered a lead session.
He highlighted the interdependence of professional skills, noting that “Action planning provides direction, networking builds relationships and access, while communication ensures clarity, credibility, and visibility.”
A senior journalist and public relations expert, Alhaji Rasheed Olanrewaju, also charged the media professionals to maintain clear, consistent, and transparent messaging, reminding them that they are “not merely conveyors of messages; we are narrative shapers, perception builders, and trust managers.”
He concluded by urging them to uphold professionalism, accuracy, and integrity, describing them as “the conscience of leadership.”
The programme exposed participants to various modern tools and methodologies, covering AI tools and data analytics, media and information literacy, media integrity, the realities and law of communication, and fact-checking and investigative journalism.
The initiative, part of AJFIAJ’s broader capacity-building drive, underscored the importance of strategic communication and accountability journalism in deepening good governance across Cross River State.
Jide Ajia, Punch Newspaper
