Caption 1: L- R: the Director-General of WUEDA, Hon. Prince Okakuro Godwin Ejinyere,(7th) flanked by NUJ Warri Chapel newly Iaugurated Executive members and Management staff of WUEDA on the visit of the Union on Monday
By Ejiro Nesisa
The newly inaugurated executive of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, has pledged to partner with the Warri, Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency (WUEDA) to promote development-oriented journalism through accurate, balanced and responsible reporting.
The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the chapel’s executive members to the Director-General of WUEDA, Hon. Prince Godwin Eguriase Ejinyere, at the agency’s headquarters located within the Delta State Development and Property Authority (DDPA), Effurun.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Chairman of the chapel, Okakuro Akpokona Omafuaire, said the visit was to formally introduce the newly inaugurated executive to the Director-General and his management team. He described WUEDA as a proactive intervention agency whose developmental projects have become increasingly visible across Warri, Uvwie and neighbouring communities. Omafuaire said the chapel was committed to providing professional and objective coverage of the agency’s activities, particularly its interventions in road construction, drainage projects and other infrastructure aimed at improving the living conditions of residents.
He noted that journalists have a responsibility to report development initiatives accurately while providing the public with credible information on government projects. The NUJ chairman commended Ejinyere and the management of WUEDA for their commitment to infrastructural development and urged them to sustain the momentum.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Delta State Council of the NUJ, Comrade Michael Ikogwu, praised the agency for its supervision and monitoring of ongoing projects, saying such oversight was necessary to ensure contractors adhered to approved standards and delivered value for public funds. The immediate past Chairman of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, Okakuro Victor Okpomor, also commended the agency’s interventions and urged its management to maintain strict supervision of ongoing projects to guarantee quality, durability and value for money.
Caption 2: the Director-General of WUEDA, Hon. Prince Okakuro Godwin Ejinyere responding to Chairman of NUJ, Okakuro Akpokona Omafuaire’s speech during the visit on Monday
Caption 3: Former Chairman of the Delta State Council of the NUJ, Comrade Michael Ikogwu making a brief remark during the visit of the Union on Monday
Responding, the Director-General of WUEDA, Hon. Prince Godwin Ejinyere, appreciated the journalists for the visit and described their observations and constructive contributions as valuable to the agency. He assured the delegation that WUEDA remained committed to delivering quality infrastructure in line with acceptable engineering standards and would continue to ensure contractors complied with project specifications.
Ejinyere urged journalists to uphold the ethics of the profession by thoroughly investigating and verifying allegations before publication, warning that inaccurate reports and unverified claims could mislead the public, damage institutional reputations and fuel misinformation. He encouraged media practitioners to see themselves as partners in development by educating the public, highlighting genuine challenges and promoting constructive engagement between government agencies and the people.
According to him, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori remains committed to restoring the lost glory of Warri, Uvwie and adjoining communities, adding that WUEDA’s projects form part of the administration’s broader efforts to address critical infrastructural challenges in the oil city. He therefore appealed to journalists to adopt a development-oriented approach to reporting by focusing not only on projects but also on their objectives, implementation challenges and impact on the people.
Members of the NUJ delegation included Vice Chairman, Comrade Francis Sadhere; Secretary, Comrade Edeki Igafe; Assistant Secretary, Comrade Samuel Ogude; Treasurer, Comrade Onyekachukwu Menuwa; Financial Secretary, Comrade Success Okuchemiya; Auditor, Comrade Odeya Ogbetuo; immediate past Chairman, Okakuro Victor Okpomor; and former Delta State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Michael Ikogwu. Also present in the meeting were: WUEDA’s Director of Administration and Finance, Ochuko Mofe-Ojeke and the Agency’s Chief Accountant, Mrs Roseline Okorigba among other Management staff of WUEDA.
The visit underscored the importance of collaboration between development institutions and the media in promoting transparency, accountability and credible reporting on public infrastructure projects, while reinforcing the role of journalism in advancing sustainable development and keeping citizens accurately informed.