THE Niger Delta Information and Media Resource Centre and Argus Ventures Nigeria are currently working out plans to present a one-day seminar on the image of the Nigeria's oil and gas region in the media and the challenge to efforts to develop the region.

The Director-General of the centre, Ebimo Amungo, who made this known to our correspondent in an on-line statement yesterday, says the seminar has as its theme: Niger Delta in the Media: Stereotype or Facts?

The proposed talks which is expected to hold in Abuja on November 25, also have reporting the Niger Delta: Is the media part of the solution or the problem? image of the Niger Delta and the challenge to development efforts ; militants, security agencies, propaganda and the damage to the Niger Delta economy as sub-themes.

The centre is however, an effort by stakeholders in the Niger Delta aimed at fostering greater understanding of the issues, people, culture and politics of the Niger Delta region.

Apparently concerned about the stereotype of the Niger Delta in the national and international media, Amungo said the NDIMRC was established as a non-profit organization, modeled after the British Council, with the following objective:

*     To provide credible information about Niger Delta to the media, business community and political class in a manner that would enhance the development of the region.

  *   Facilitate and create access for the local, national and international media to the governments and other stake-holding groups in the Niger Delta. 

*      To liaise with government information and media departments in the Niger Delta states to give credible, verifiable information about their governments to the media.

 *     To promote greater understanding of the issues in the Niger Delta through workshops and seminars.

*      To promote developmental journalism in the Niger Delta.

*     To act as a repository of information about the Niger Delta.

advertisement

*      To run a database of various information on the Niger Delta.

*      To run internet websites on the various aspects of the Niger Delta. 

*     The centre will publish periodicals, journals and magazines as well as produce television programs that would foster greater understanding of happenings in the Niger Delta region.

*     To promote the culture of the people of the Niger Delta

*     To promote conflict resolution and reconciliation in the Niger Delta.

The objective of the seminar to bring the attention of the media and public to the difference between reality and fiction on the goings-on in the Niger Delta, bring attention to the challenge of developing the region by regional governments and development agencies due to stereotypes and perceptions, and examine the role of the media on events in the Niger Delta.

''The belief of our centre is that the perception and stereotyping of the Niger Delta as a region in conflict was challenging efforts by the federal and state governments’ development agencies as well as oil companies and multilateral aid agencies to develop infrastructure and stimulate economic growth of the region'', the director-general said. 

Meanwhile, the seminar is to examine the role of the media in feeding this stereotype and find solutions to the problems arising from perception.