The government of Anambra has condemned what it described as an unprovoked social media attack targeted at painting the state in bad light.

Don Onyenji, commissioner for culture, Entertainment and Tourism, said this at a media briefing in Awka on Saturday.

Mr Onyenji said going to social media to vent perceived grievance against the government amounted to demarketing the state and scaring away potential investors.

He said anybody who had issues with the government of the state, especially journalists, should do so through conventional media and take extra measures to get responses from the relevant ministry, department or agency.

The commissioner said the tourism and hospitality sector was picking up in the state but regretted that the negative image being created about Anambra was having a negative effect on the effort of the government.

He said about 310 km of roads were being constructed simultaneously, and a contract had been awarded for a leisure park that would have a country club, a mini golf course, cinema and sporting facilities, to be completed within one year.

Mr Onyenji called on Anambra people in diaspora and investors, especially those in the movie industry, to visit and key into development activities going on under Gov. Charles Soludo.

“Here in the ministry of culture, entertainment and tourism, we are doing a lot to get people to buy into what the governor is doing to turn the state around, especially in entertainment and tourism.

“Soludo is a world-renowned Economist; he is the reason why people keep their money in the banks without the fear of losing out, so we are happy and lucky to have him at the helm of affairs in Anambra.

“I would like to say that it is not unfair for our people, especially those in the entertainment industry, to go to social media to celebrate whatever they feel the government is not doing, we should use their medium and criticise responsibly, ” he said.

Mr Onyenji said the government was open to criticisms and would give responses and take responsibility where necessary.

He said it was wrong for broadcasters to use social media to berate the government and scare people away from coming home to invest when nobody was going after them.

He admitted that all is not well but pointed out that the governor was taking deliberate actions to address them.

“There is so much we can talk about; a lot of positive things are going on; Anambra is the new destination for tourism, entertainment and hospitality and we are calling on people to come and take advantage.

“Nobody gains anything by running down his own state; nobody benefits from demarketing his state. I am calling on my colleagues in the broadcast and entertainment industry to be part of the new Anambra under Soludo,” he said.

(NAN)