Imo Hoteliers Partner Journalists to fight insecurity, boost economy

The Nigerian Hotels Association (NHA) Imo State chapter  and  the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Imo State have entered into a partnership to fight insecurity and boost the economy of the state.

The duo reached the agreement when the association unveiled the “Information Not Disinformation” campaign, a brainchild of the Correspondents’ Chapel, NUJ, Imo council, in Owerri, on Thursday.

Chairman of the Imo Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Chinonso Alozie, said the campaign is aimed at boosting not only the hotel and hospitality sector but the entire economy of the state.

According to Alozie,  the “Information Not Disinformation ” campaign,  will also help to put Imo State in the wheel of socio-economic progress through  accurate reporting and highlighting the activities in all the sectoral groups including the hotel and hospitality sectoral group in  Imo State.

Alozie stated further that the  “Information Not Disinformation ” campaign will continue to showcase the  conducive environment of the state to enable investments to thrive and ensure that both local and foreign investors  will cash in on the good business environment and investment in any of the economic sectors of the state as the  Imo State has remained friendly to investors and also safe for investments.

He informed that the project is in partnership with heads of security agencies in Imo State, religious bodies and private investors, paramount among which is the  Nigerian Hotels Association,  Imo State chapter.

And that the aim of this “Information Not Disinformation” campaign is simply to use accurate information to correct disinformation.  Stating also that it would  provide a meeting point for the media, security agencies and private sector drivers  to put in proper perspective the security situation in Imo.

“In line with our core mandate to inform and educate members of the public, we will provide the security agencies and other stakeholders the platform to speak on a monthly or quarterly briefings as the case may be to engage the public through us (media) to use information to correct the disinformation in Imo especially as it affects the security situation in the state”, Alozie said.

Meanwhile,  Chima Chukwunyere, the “chief servant” of the Nigerian Hotels Association,  Imo State chapter who showed his enthusiasm partnering with the media because of what the media has been doing to boost the hotel and hospitality sector of the Imo State economy, said that the merits in working together with the Correspondents’ Chapel will help the investors in the sector to scale up their businesses.

“I don’t think there’s anything  that will make us to reject the offer because ever before now,  since  2017,  they have been with us. Each time we have challenges we run to them and they will help us .

“The last time we also had a challenge,  they also worked for us and helped us. They have done marvelously well for us. We have accepted the partnership to work with them. And if there are things we will do to assist them to succeed we will do so” Chima said.

Also Emmanuel Okeke, a member of the NHA,  Imo State chapter who was also impressed with the partnership  said,  “in Nigeria, I think the media is stronger than the law and goes faster. The media has  played very important roles to rescue Nigeria”.

He urged the media practitioners in the state and the country to do their job  with courage,  “do not fear,  be courageous  and write true information that would help to grow  hotel and hospitality sector in the state”.