Govt will address Delta Press land issue, says SSG

Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Hon. Festus Agas, has assured management of the Delta Printing and Publishing Company (DPPCL), publishers of The Pointer titles, that the state government will look into the land in dispute between it and other agencies with a view to addressing the situation.

Agas, who stated this when he played host to members of the Board of Directors, Delta Publishing and Printing Company Limited (DPPCL), at his office in Asaba yesterday, said the state government was aware that its predecessors during the then military regime earmarked a parcel of land beside Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS), Asaba, for the perusal of The Pointer newspapers, adding that he would look into the situation since it was an issue of trespass.

“I am aware that our predecessors under the military regime actually earmarked a particular land beside DBS for The Pointer. We heard that some persons have trespassed into it.

The government will look into it; I will liaise with the Commissioner for Lands and Surveys to find out exactly what is happening to that land”.

The SSG disclosed that the Pointer newspaper, considering the way it was going about communicating government policies and programmes to the good people of Delta State deserves a befitting cooperate headquarters to improve its output.

He said “I believe for the media outfit to perform optimally, it needs a conducive environment as well as equipment of the revered profession such as computers, furniture, printers among others. However, you are equally familiar with the recession and financial challenges facing the state.

“Nevertheless, I will communicate some of your demands; they are legitimate demands to His Excellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. We are optimistic that our income will improve as we forge ahead and I think we will look at the possibilities of providing some of the necessary support.”

On the issue of employment and accommodation which were part of the requests made by the Board Chairman of DPPCL, Hon. (Dr.) David Oghenekevwe, during his address, Agas said: “As you are aware, we inherited a large workforce, unlike other states of the federation where they have about an average of 25, 000 to 30, 000 staff.

“But here in Delta State, we have close to 60, 000 staff on our pay roll, which is why the government, in her wisdom, decided to carry out a biometric exercise and I can assure you, we have done very well in this regard.”

The SSG explained that due to this huge financial burden, the state government would not be able to employ staff at the moment at the state owned media outfit, adding that in no distant date the government would carry out a need assessment programme and that if there was need to employ additional staff for The Pointer, it would not hesitate.