From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Journalists play a crucial role in crafting and shaping Nigeria’s policies. They have the power to shed light on important issues, initiate public discourse, and hold policymakers accountable, hence poor messaging can derail a good policy of government, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has said.
The Director General of NGF, Asishana Okauru, noted this at the opening of a two-day training on ‘Policy and Governance Reporting”, organised by PREMIUM TIMES Academy and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).
The Premium Times Workshop is the third in series in conjunction with the NGF with the first in 2019 dealing with “Budget Tracking and Data Driven Journalism” and the second one in 2021 was on the theme: Training for Journalists on Peace and Conflict- Sensitive Reporting.
The NGF DG said, “Your role as journalist is crucial in crafting and shaping policies. You could actually potentially derail a well thought out policy as a result of poor messaging. It is therefore extremely important we work together to better understand the policy value chain.
“For me, it would appear that in our environment, the implementation segment has been the weakest part of the entire policy value chain. This calls for patience and understanding.
“Those charged with the responsibility of executing policies in the country must show leadership, knowledge, integrity, accountability, and transparency especially at this time of major global happenings all around us.
“Here I am referring to the Israel-Hamas war; Russian-Ukrainian war and the attendant supply chain issues arising from these wars; the rise of extremism; world wide depression, climate change, UK has been hit by Brexit; technology particularly artificial intelligence (e.g. Chatgpt, etc).”
Okauru said the training will also afford sectorial heads to speak to participants, adding that “the Forum is essentially a policy hub and has done an excellent job in locating some of the most competent research minded hands to drive the work we do for our principals.”
Managing Director/CEO, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali M. Ali, in his goodwill message, said the training programme was timely and well thought out.
Quoting the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, who in stressing the critical role of the media in nation building, when in a moment of profound insight described it as more important than government itself!
“Were it left for me to choose whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without government, I shall not hesitate to choose the latter, ” Jefferson had said.
Ali said: “Jefferson’s immortal quote readily defines the pivotal role the media, symbolised by the newspapers of his days, plays in everyday life.
“This is why today’s two-day training programme on “Governance and Policy Reporting ” organised by the Nigeria Governor’s Forum in collaboration with Premium Times Academy is timely and well thought out”, he said, commending the organisers for making available a worthy platform for manpower development in the media industry.
Ali added that the media is so impactful and it influences on daily lives that the Nigerian constitution makes specific provisions to protect and preserve “this institution which the British statesman, Edmund Burke, had described in 1787 as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
“Section 22 of the constitution states that “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.”
The DG NAN noted that apart from the media, no other institution in Nigeria has been vested with this onerous constitutional watchdog responsibility of making government accountable to the people.
He said: “If the intent of the letters and spirit of this fundamental provision is to be dissected, it is clear that the framers of the constitution were interested in deepening the crucial role of the mass media in not only promoting our pluralist democracy and good governance but also ensuring that government upholds the objectives contained in the directive principles of state policy.
“Of critical importance is the provision which talks about ensuring that “the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.”
He added that also fundamental is that which talks about ensuring “that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of a few individuals or a group. “
He added that “It is clear from these provisions that the media has a role to play in promoting the economic wellbeing of Nigeria and its diverse people through good governance and adequate reportage of public policies.
“If there is agreement on this, how then can the media help in promoting good governance and by extension mitigate the current economic challenges in the country?
“One such means is by focusing on development journalism which highlights the human condition and seeks measures to uplift standard of living through monitoring certain defined indicators.
“Development journalism seeks to create awareness about socio-economic issues and the development initiatives to tackle them.
“The media also has an important role to play in promoting accountability and transparency in the conduct of government business.
“In this light, the media must remain in the vanguard of tracking the budgetary process to ensure that the Nigerian people get the actual value allocated in fiscal proposals.”
Director General, Nigerian Television Authority, Salihu Dembos, noted that citizens no longer trust the political leadership no matter how genuine they are.
Represented by Executive Director News, Ayo Adewuyi, he said the media has the responsibility to keep the citizens informed and educated on policies of government as well as keep those in government informed about the plight of citizens through investigative journalism.
Director-General/CEO of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Ndace, on his part noted that training opportunities like that of Primium Times and NGF were what sharp his journalism career, urging participants not take the training for granted.
He assured that as the man in the helms of affairs, he is determined to ensure Nigerian stories are told to the world unapologetically.
“We should not allow the 0.5% give us a bad name. This is our country and we must responsibility to tell her story to the world.”
In his welcome remark, Editor-in-Chief/Chief Operating Officer
PREMIUM TIMES, Musikilu Mojeed, speaking on the importance of the training, said as the new crop of politicians assumes duties, journalists must prepare, including upping their skills, to report on them and their actions and policies.
“This course is built on the firm belief that the purpose of journalism is to serve society, just as the raison d’etre of governance and policy reporting is to empower citizens with the information they need to participate in civic affairs. We believe journalists should serve as watchdogs to ensure honest and productive governance while focusing their coverage on issues vital to advancing citizens and society.
“This training is therefore designed to help journalists with the skills they need to cover public policies, governance and the democratic process in Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy. We believe governance and policy reporting should be informed by more profound knowledge and skill level of how governments work and how public policy decisions are taken. At the end of this training, we expect participants to develop deeper insights and understanding of the Nigerian system and how to deepen accountability in governance.
“For the media to effectively work for the promotion of good governance and report governance more responsibly, there is a need to develop the capacity of journalists to do their jobs professionally. We thank the Nigerian Governors Forum for including this activity in its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in the overall interest of the public.”
Mojeed said participants are expected to be “better informed and skilled reporters who understand the sensitivity and complexity of their duties and responsibilities in providing the right kind of information citizens and government need to make informed decisions;
“Have a better understanding of solution-driven and reporting on governance issues in line with the desire of citizens to have a prosperous, orderly and stable society.”