Media key to national development – PS

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 13:42:25 +0000

By JACKSON MAPAPAYI

NORTH Western Province permanent secretary Ephraim Mateyo says Government has realized the importance of the media as a fourth estate and that it was critical to national development.

Mr Mateyo said it was for this reason that the Patriotic Front government will continue to work with the media houses in the country so that development can be fostered in the country.

‘’Let me also state here that the desire of Government is to see to it that the media in the country flourishes and do so professionally without going against the media laws and ethics that have been set by the regulating bodies,’’ he said.

The permanent was speaking yesterday in a speech read for him by Solwezi district administrative officer Christopher Nyungila at the tenth anniversary for Solwezi community radio station in Solwezi.

He said Government was committed to creating an environment where media practitioners operated freely but responsibly.

He said Government enjoyed the partnership with the media, hence could not intervene in their duty of informing, educating and entertaining the people.

He said Solwezi radio, being one of the first to be set up in the district and the province, was a living example of responsibility to the mushrooming media houses in the region.

He also commended the station for being consistent in information dissemination in the district.

Earlier, Solwezi community radio station executive director Elisha Kyanamina pledged to continue feeding the public with the right information through the broadcasting of various programmes.