Media Practitioners Call For Stronger Institutions To Ensure Press Freedom In Nigeria

Posted by Factnews | 7 years ago | 2,489 times



Journalists in Umuahia, the Abia state capital have called for stronger institutions to ensure the freedom of the press in Nigeria.

 

The call was made on the sideline of the 2017 World Press Freedom Day.

 

The theme for the 2017 celebration is: ‘Critical Minds for Critical Times: Media’s role in advancing peaceful, just and inclusive societies.


3rd of May is observed as World Press Freedom Day as declared by the United Nations General Assembly.


They day is set aside to raise awareness on the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

 

It provides an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom and assess the state of press freedom throughout the world.

 

World Press Freedom day is also an opportunity to defend the media from attacks on their independence, and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in line of duty.

Nigeria is ranked 122 out of 180 countries, in the World Press Freedom Index, six places down in the 2016 ranking, raising the question of press freedom in Nigeria.

 

Nigerian journalists are constantly harassed, threatened and maligned by political office holders in the course of carrying out their duties.

 

A recent example is the ejection of the Punch State House Correspondent from the Presidential Villa by the Chief Security Officer. 

 

In most cases, Nigerian journalists are denied access to important public documents.

It is even more saddening that the passage of the Freedom of Information Act since 2011 has not encouraged access to public information.

 

Also, the passage of the Cyber Crimes Act in 2015 has given rise to the intimidation and arrest of bloggers and the arbitrary censorship of the Nigerian cyberspace.

 

The members of the fourth estate of the realm urged government and its institutions and agencies to see the press as partners in the noble cause of ensuring a better society, through the establishment of stronger institutions.


The media practitioners said the Freedom of Information Act was a mirage orchestrated by the Nigerian government to shield their caging of the press.

They maintain that in the cause of carrying out their duties, the FOI Act do not guarantee access to certain public information as expected.


The media practitioners decried the influx of quacks, which they described as a great challenge to journalism practice in Nigeria.

They called for greater sensitization and enlightenment of people on what the profession stands for.

This year’s World Press Freedom Day provides yet another opportunity for government at all levels to right the wrongs in ensuring press freedom.

This is because a free press engenders a free society that results in a healthy democracy, which Nigeria practices.

 


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