The Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has commended the Rivers State Government for the appointment of Dr. Honour Sirawoo, mni, as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications.
In a statement jointly signed by the Council Chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia-Nsaneh, and Secretary, Dr. Ijeoma, the Union described the appointment as “a square peg in a square hole,” citing Dr. Sirawoo’s extensive background in journalism and media management.
Dr. Sirawoo began his journalism career in the 1990s as Sports Editor at Rivers State Television. He rose to national prominence as the President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and is currently a Member of the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).
The NUJ highlighted his decade-long service as Press Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s Office as further testament to his competence, noting that his new role comes at a critical time when Rivers State-owned media houses are facing infrastructural decay and workforce underutilization.
“As the most senior Permanent Secretary in the state’s civil service and a Ph.D. holder in Mass Communication, Dr. Sirawoo is well-positioned to revitalize the state media sector,” the statement said. “This is an opportunity to convince the government of the urgent need to rejuvenate its media institutions to effectively disseminate information and engage the public.”
The NUJ assured Dr. Sirawoo of its full support and encouraged him to leverage his experience to restore professionalism and efficiency in state-owned media.
“We wish Dr. Sirawoo the very best in this new chapter and pledge our unwavering support as he undertakes this vital assignment,” the statement concluded.