The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has described the appointment of two of its members to the position of permanent secretaries in the Rivers State Civil Service as historic and commendable.
The President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Sir Honour Sirawoo, KSC, GMH and the immediate past Director in the Cabinet Office, Mr Halmiton Amadi, were among those recently named as permanent secretaries by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
The two men had served as State Executive Council (SEC) members of the NUJ, Rivers State Council, at various times. While Sir Sirawoo was the State Chairman of SWAN, Mr Amadi was Chairman of the Tide Chapel of NUJ.
The NUJ, in a statement jointly signed by its chairman and secretary, Comrades Stanley Job Stanley and Ike Wigodo respectively, congratulated the duo and other newly appointed permanent secretaries on their appointments.
The Union noted that the appointment of Sir Sirawoo and Mr Amadi who are both seasoned journalists and competent administrators was timely and well deserved, as “we believe their wealth of experience would be invaluable to the state”.
The statement also noted that the tremendous efforts of Sirawoo as President of SWAN towards changing the ugly narratives about sports reporting in Nigeria can not be over emphasised.
The Union expressed confidence in the ability of the duo to justify the confidence reposed in them by Governor Wike and make journalists in the state proud.
“The Union has always insisted on the appointment of journalists into positions of authority, hence the commendations of the appointment of Sirawoo and Amadi.
“We have no doubt that the duo will be priceless assets to the civil service and Governor Wike’s administration”, the statement read.
The NUJ, therefore, enjoined the newly appointed permanent secretaries to see their elevation as a golden opportunity to serve the state meritoriously and to contribute their quota to the ongoing developmental milestones that are being recorded in the state under Governor Wike.
The Council, in the same vein, commended the state governor, Chief (Barrister) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for making the right choices in the appointment of its members and expressed readiness to continue to support and cooperate with the government to achieve its set goals.
