Frontline public affairs commentator and philanthropist,Mr Lucky Ehiwuogwu Monye, has lauded The Pointer newspaper group for attaining 31 years of unbroken newsstand appearance with competitive quality products.
The Pointer, a state government newspaper published by the Delta Printing and Publishing Corporation( DPPC), Asaba, had its maiden edition 31 years ago today, and has since then transformed from a weekly to a daily with three different editions- daily, Saturday/ Weekend and Sunday- from its stable.
Reacting to the landmark, Monye, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Monaco Ventures Nigeria Limited, a frontline private security firm, said in a statement that The Pointer had made appreciable progress, over time.
He held that given the increasingly challenging operational circumstances of the print media sector in the country, The Pointer had made great progress for remaining afloat for 31 years.
According to Monye, the newspaper group had remained a frontliner in public sector media in the country in circumstances in which many of its contemporaries and forerunners had either disappeared from the newsstands or were showing irregular presence there.
Monye, the founder of Monye Ehiwuogwu Lucky Foundation, attributed the steady growth of the newspaper group to the resilience and innovativeness of its workers as well as the support of its stakeholders, including the successive state governments.
He called for sustained support by all stakeholders by way of patronage and enhanced funding by the government.
He commended the present and past state administrations for their support for The Pointer, but stressed that, for its long-term term sustainability, there was an urgent need for the government to create a more clement operational circumstance for the DPPC personnel to operate.
He stressed that the right ambience could be created by the procurement of a modern commercial printing press and the development of a befitting permanent site for it.
He stressed that the organization had, over the years, effectively played a key role in publicizing the state government and Deltans and deserved to be rekitted for enhanced efficiency at that role of marketing the state and its people.
Monye urged the government not to view the role of the media only from the perspective of economic cost- efficiency, but from their huge invaluable role in influencing and sustaining public opinion and goodwill.
He urged the members of staff of The Pointer to keep the flag flying.