By David Owei<\/p>\n
Recent criticisms in some sections of the media over the pace and direction of development in Bayelsa State demand a serious response\u2014not because government should be shielded from scrutiny, but because public discourse about the state must be anchored on facts, evidence and professional journalism.<\/p>\n
The press has every right, and indeed a responsibility, to question government policies, interrogate public expenditure and demand accountability. But the responsibility of the press does not end with criticism. Journalism must also tell the complete story.<\/p>\n
It is therefore necessary to ask: Are we reporting Bayelsa as it is, or are some commentators deliberately reporting Bayelsa only from the angle that suits their political narrative?<\/p>\n
There is a growing tendency to reduce the development conversation in Bayelsa to what government has allegedly failed to do, while conveniently ignoring major projects either completed, ongoing or already commissioned.<\/p>\n
For instance, the state government has reported major investments in roads and bridges, urban renewal, a 60MW gas-fired independent power project, the Angiama-Oporoma bridge and other infrastructure projects. <\/p>\n
The 2026 budget also allocated 64.6 per cent of its expenditure to capital projects, with substantial allocations to works, education, health, sports and other development sectors.<\/p>\n
These facts do not mean that the government should be declared beyond criticism. Far from it. They mean that criticism should be based on the whole picture.<\/p>\n
If there are concerns about the cost of a project, journalists should investigate the contract value, procurement process, funding source, level of completion and expected public benefit. <\/p>\n
If there are concerns about poverty and unemployment, the press should obtain and present the relevant data. If government promises have not been fulfilled, the media should ask when the promises were made, what has been delivered and what remains outstanding.
\nThat is journalism.<\/p>\n
What Bayelsa does not need is a situation where every development project is automatically interpreted through a political lens and every government intervention is dismissed before its impact can be objectively assessed. The same standard must apply to government.<\/p>\n
Government must be prepared to provide figures, documents, timelines and evidence to justify its claims. It must answer legitimate questions from journalists and citizens. It must accept criticism where projects fail, promises are abandoned or public resources are not properly utilised.<\/p>\n
But the media must equally accept its own responsibility. A journalist is not an opposition politician. A newspaper is not a political party. And criticism is not synonymous with journalism.<\/p>\n
The credibility of the press is measured by its commitment to facts, balance, verification and the public interest.
\nBayelsa is a developing state with enormous challenges arising from its difficult terrain, limited connectivity and years of infrastructure deficits. <\/p>\n
The state therefore requires sustained development, not perpetual political warfare disguised as journalism.
\nThere is nothing wrong with asking whether a road is worth its cost. There is nothing wrong with questioning a stadium project. <\/p>\n
There is nothing wrong with demanding jobs, food security, better healthcare and improved education. Indeed, those questions should be asked.<\/p>\n
But the questions must be accompanied by facts\u2014not insinuations, selective reporting or political talking points.<\/p>\n
Recent opposition criticisms of the Diri administration have focused on poverty, hunger, unemployment and spending priorities, including criticism of the proposed stadium project. <\/p>\n
Those positions are legitimate subjects for reporting, but they remain political claims and should be presented as such rather than automatically treated as established facts.<\/p>\n
Equally, claims by government about development achievements should be subjected to independent verification rather than simply reproduced as official propaganda.<\/p>\n
That is the balance Bayelsa needs.
\nOur people deserve to know what government is doing, what government is not doing, what has worked, what has failed, what has been promised and what has actually been delivered.<\/p>\n
The press must therefore rise above political camps and become the bridge between government and the governed.
\nWe should not be afraid to criticise government. But neither should we be afraid to acknowledge development when the evidence shows it.<\/p>\n
Bayelsa belongs to all of us. Its development should therefore be bigger than partisan politics, bigger than personalities and bigger than the interests of any political camp.
\nThe duty of the press is to speak truth to power\u2014but truth must remain the standard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By David Owei Recent criticisms in some sections of the media over the pace and direction of development in Bayelsa State demand a serious response\u2014not because government should be shielded from scrutiny, but because public discourse about the state must be anchored on facts, evidence and professional journalism. The press has every right, and indeed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17974"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17975,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17974\/revisions\/17975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}