between a mother and unborn child, the Executive Director,
Administration of JBN, Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi has said even as
National Secretary of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Malam Leman
Shaibu in Abuja, lauded the construction company for its faithfulness as
Nigeria’s most reliable and consistent infrastructural development
partner as well as for the company’s proactive and continuous
recognition of efforts of journalists as comrades in progress.
At a similar parley which held in Lagos at the weekend, the Lagos State
Chairman of the NUJ, Dr. Quasim Akinreti also saluted Julius Berger’s
apparent, dependable and enduring loyalty to the development of sound
infrastructure all across the country, saying Lagos stands strong on the
solid engineering structures built by Julius Berger, beginning with the
Eko bridge which the company built since 1965. He urged the company not
to relent in its visibly excellent professional discharge of its
projects.
Julius Berger Nigeria Plc hosted journalists in two separate parleys;
mid last week in Abuja and weekend in Lagos.
According to Alhaji Bayi, the event was an opportunity to thank and
appreciate journalists. In his opening remarks in the Abuja event, Bayi
said: “… the relationship between Julius Berger and the Media can at its
most serious be likened to the interdependence of the mother and the
baby in the womb bound together by the umbilical cord for a fruitful end
to produce life, and at its most hilarious context, the “Tom & Jerry”
act which exemplifies the ultimate revelation of an inescapable affinity
and survivalist need for each other.”
He said the purpose of the end of year parley with the press was to
appreciate the journalists’ “healthy understanding and objective
reportage throughout the work year”, adding that, “your competent
professionalism has been more than helpful to our business and work.”
Alhaji Bayi reminded invitees that every time the company is privileged
to host the media practitioners in the past, he had shared with them
“our mutual secret; that both the media and our company do our work in
the public domain. Your good and fair work, indeed your fine and
respectable professionalism has helped to reasonably debunk every lie
and wrong notions about the work we do in our country,” the Executive
Director further said.
On the peculiar relationship between the media and the Julius Berger, he
said it is an interesting, enduring and inescapable mix of assignments
and purpose between the two saying, “the media will never turn a blind
eye to our understandably impactful construction activities; and we must
rely on the objective competence and industry of the robust Nigerian
media to help us enlighten the public about the truly long-term benefits
of our work over any temporary inconveniences it may seem to cause the
good public.” The media, which Bayi described as a great opinion
moulder, he continued, “has graciously, objectively continued to speak
and write to enlighten the public about the work we do in the best
interest of the people”.
He thus pledged the company’s sincere commitment “through our proactive
and friendly Media Relations Office headed by your energetic colleague,
Prince Moses Duku,” to sustain and continue to promote the healthy
relationship with media practitioners in the country.
At the Abuja event, National Secretary of the Nigerian Union of
Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Leman Shaibu lauded Julius Berger for its
“consistency in not only being historically and presently professional
in the discharge of its various jobs across the country, but also, for
being able to create and sustain its excellent friendship with the
robust Nigerian Media.” Mr. Leman Shaibu challenged journalists to
appropriately, harmoniously relate with such deserving organisations
even as he tasked them to be well guided by the relevant laws of the
land.
In Lagos, Chairman of the state Chapter of the NUJ, Dr. Quasim Akinreti,
spoke glowingly in thanking Julius Berger for identifying with the media
so well. He tasked the company not to relent in the verifiably good work
it is doing all across Lagos and Nigeria. He assured Julius Berger of a
progressively smoother friendship from the media in the future.
Both events were attended by staff of the company as well as media
publishers and senior practicing journalists. In Abuja, Julius Berger’s
team was led by the Executive Director administration, Alhaji Zubairu
Ibrahim Bayi with Alh. Dr Abdulaziz Kaita, Engr. Dr Mohammed Amodu
Ismaila and Olorunfemi Ojomo also in attendance. The Heads of the
company’s Media Relations Office, Prince Moses Duku, and Corporate
Communications Development, Mr. James Agama amongst others were also at
the event. At the Lagos event, the Regional Manager, Mr. Alexander Bauer
alongside Prince Moses Duku, Mr Agama and the Project Coordinator,
Lagos-Shagamu Expressway, Engr. Fatima Kosemani and others were in
attendance.