By Wilson Adekumola
The Anambra State Government has lamented social media attack, noting it is targeted at denting the image of the state.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Don Onyenji, made this lamentation when speaking with newsmen in Awka on Saturday.
While noting that using social media to attacked the government amounted to putting the state in bad light and scaring away potential investors, Onyenji said anybody who had issues with the government of the state, especially journalists, should do so through conventional media and take extra measures to get responses from the relevant ministry, department or agency.
Lamenting the negative image being created about Anambra was having a negative effect on the effort of the government, he stressed that the tourism and hospitality sector was picking up in the state.
According to him, about 310 km of roads were being constructed simultaneously, and a contract had been awarded for a Leisure Park that would have a country club, a mini golf course, a cinema and sporting facilities, to be completed within one year.
Onyenji, however, urged Anambra people in the diaspora and investors, especially those in the movie industry, to visit and key into development activities going on under Gov. Charles Soludo.
“Here in the Ministry of Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, we are doing a lot to get people to buy into what the governor is doing to turn the state around, especially in entertainment and tourism.
“Soludo is a world-renowned Economist, he is the reason why people keep their money in the banks without the fear of losing out, so we are happy and lucky to have him at the helm of affairs in Anambra.
“I would like to say that it is not fair for our people, especially those in the entertainment industry, to go to the social media to celebrate whatever they feel the government is not doing, we should use their medium and criticise responsibly,” he said.
Mr Onyenji said the government was open to criticisms and will give responses and take responsibility where necessary.
He slammed the broadcasters for using social media to berate the government and scare people away from coming home to invest when nobody was going after them, admitting all is not well but noted that the governor was making necessary steps to tackle the situation.
“There is so much we can talk about; a lot of positive things are going on; Anambra is the new destination for tourism, entertainment and hospitality and we are calling on people to come and take advantage.
“Nobody gains anything by running down his own state, nobody benefits from demarketing his State. I am calling on my colleagues in broadcast and entertainment industry to be part of the new Anambra under Soludo,” he said.
