Sitting R-L: Publisher, Metrowatchonline, Mr. Collins Edomaruse, Editor, Peak News, Dr. Abimbola Kintum, Julius Berger’s Project Coordinator, Lagos-Sagamu Expressway, Engr. Fatima Kosemani and the company’s Senior Business Executive, Strategic Business Unit, Mrs Ndifreke Ukochio as well as Publisher Netnews, Mrs. Pearl Ngwama and Editor, Lagos Business News Info, Mrs Temitope Adebayo. Standing at the middle behind the front row is the Head, Media Relations, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Prince Moses Duku sandwiched by a cream of senior Journalists at the 2023 Media Parley organised by the company held at the Sheraton Lagos Hotel recently
By Our Reporter
Leading engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc has declared the multi-dimensional support given it by Nigerian media as responsible for the overwhelming positive public goodwill the organisation enjoyed in the outgoing year.
The company’s Director, Administration, Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi who made the declaration during the end of year media parley of the company in Utako Abuja said, “I wish to once again place on record your tremendous assistance in so graciously publishing and giving eloquent voice and distinctive vision to our company’s business and social activities since the year began till now.“
According to him, the shared interests in each others developmental work and pursuit made it possible, adding, “while some of our satisfied and enthusiastic clients and understandably impressed Nigerians could say, the landmark quality project delivery record of the company is responsible for the effective media reportage on Julius Berger projects and general operations across its subsidiaries, an outstanding and evident truth, however, is that our company’s contractual dedication, our commanding engineering and project management quality and our unmatched reliability in project delivery time, could not have publicised themselves without the active cooperation of you, our great media partners, correspondents, bureau chiefs, editors and publishers.“
Alhaji Bayi further said the company owes the foregoing positive development to the irreducible and highly valued understanding and cooperation of the media practitioners, adding, “… I can confidently, even proudly say, Julius Berger is about the most widely and positively reported engineering construction company in Nigeria today.“
He spoke on the idea of the company hosting the annual media parley saying that it is borne out of the company’s sincere desire to get to relate with media partners at a closer range deliberately removed from official communication channels. Bayi added that a strategy like the annual parley easily activitaes a warmer comradeship and camaraderie that further consolidates a healthy relationship, thus creating for both the Media and Julius Berger an ever progressive mutual understanding that continues to oil the good and worthy bond already established in active and enlightened furtherance of Nigeria’s national development agenda.
Moving forward, Alhaji Bayi continued, “in the context of Julius Berger’s very healthy relationship with the Press, a cursory look into the future indicates a lot of unending possibilities and opportunities that enure to a renewed hope“ even as he expressed the hope to work with the media partners on a stronger scale than ever before, “as we together aspire for greater cooperation and a more productive and rewarding future and country.“
Institutional and Individual media practitioners at the event were clearly apppreciative of the efforts of Julius Berger in relating with the press even as they pledge to continue to oil the wheel of progressive relationship with the company.
The national Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Shuaibu Usman Leman who represented the NUJ President and delivered the goodwill message of the NUJ at the event, said, “For us in the NUJ, this parley is a welcome development seen as a very creative and working strategy; it is an integral part of your approach towards meaningfully improving the relationship between Julius Berger and the larger society using the media.“ Comrade Shuaibu Usman Leman called the Julius Berger annual media parley “a strategy geared towards building a stronger synergy between the press, Nigerians and the company for the development of Nigeria,“ adding that the idea and implementation of the Julius Berger media parley serves to amplify the serious efforts of the company in contributing to harmonious social engagement for a more informed, peaceful and progressive society within the developmental aspirations of ‘Project Nigeria.‘ “We appreciate Julius Berger for the invitation and we urge the company to continue to uphold the high professional standards and premium quality of work you are known for,“ Comrade Shuaibu said.
On her part, in delivering the goodwill message from the Executive Management of the Nigerian Television Authority, the Director, News, Hajiya Halima Musa, Mni, celebrateted Julius Berger as having, by the company’s annual media parley, created a veritable ‘Meeting Point‘ for busy media practitioners who for the most time do not socialise with each other to engage outside of their hectic and sometimes all-engaging schedules. For this, Hajiya thanked the Executive Management of Julius Berger, urging journalists to give meaningful coverage to Julius Berger’s works and social activities even as she urged for transparency and accountability.
The excutive Director of the Leadership newspaper, Christian Ochiama also thanked the company for it‘s proactive media engagement policy and prayed for the continuing success of Julius Berger.
The Lagos event had the company’s Head of Media Relations, Prince Moses Duku delivering the address of the Executive Management to the media practioners and executives.
Wole Olajide of Stockswatch magazine summed up the views of the media in Lagos thus: “…in fairness to the company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc has contributed a lot to the quality delivery of notable infrastructures in this country. As critical as the Nigerian Press is, I do not see any dissenting voice coming up against the popular viewpoint that Julius Berger Nigeria is central to Nigeria’s infrastructural development in all ramifications. We very objectively hail Julius Berger that has guaranteed quality and timely delivery of critical infrastructures in the land.“
Mr. Wole further said, “…Also, I must not fail to mention that this innovative annual end-of-year Julius Berger Management/Media parley event has continued to assist a very transparent, mutually respectful, and helpful relationship between the very independent Nigerian Press and the company. It is worth emulating by other serious corporate brands in the country. But we understand; Julius Berger is the sector,s leading brand.“
Also present from Julius Berger at the Lagos event were Project Coordinator, Lagos-Sagamu Expressway, Engr. Fatima Kosemani, Senior Executive, Strategic Business Development, Mrs Ndifreke Ukochio as well as other staff of the engineering construction company including Emmanuel Isibor, Mobolaji Ogunyemi, , Kelly Idemudia, Teniola Oladapo and Peace Onuoha.
