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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has hailed the courage and determination of the media to keep the society well informed.
A statement by Femi Adesina, media adviser, quoted Buhari as stating this on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, observed yearly on May 3.
He rejoiced with the Nigerian media, and recognised their role in strengthening the country’s democracy.
In fostering the pursuit of journalism in the country, President Buhari reiterated the Nigerian government’s commitment to the freedom of the press, pledging to continue ensuring the protection of the rights and privileges of journalists in the lawful performance of their professional duties.
He charged the Nigerian press to use World Press Freedom Day to reflect on the need to embrace the best professional standards and practices, especially in the build-up to the forthcoming general elections.
He noted that the free performance of media roles and responsibilities during the electoral process was as important as the sanctity and will of Nigerians expressed through the ballot box.
With the elections in sight, Buhari urged the media to be mindful of sponsored political news or publications capable of inciting hatred, division, violence, and chaos while also ensuring that the electoral umpire and other stakeholders play their roles in delivering free, fair, credible and transparent elections to Nigerians.
“We must stay united in supporting media professionals who work hard to de-escalate violent conflict and promote peaceful societies without compromising the responsibility to report.”
He also urged government information managers to ensure the press and the general public have access to facts and figures of government information, without tears.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has alleged that the inalienable right to access and disseminate information through an independent press is under attack, and called for urgent need to protect the media, adding democracy is in danger when a free press is threatened.
In a statement by the NGE’s President, Mustapha Isah and General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, yesterday, to mark the World Press Freedom Da, NGE urged the Federal Government to make newsprints, broadcast equipment and consumables in the media sector tax free, in order to save the media from total collapse.
“The media is a strong pillar of democracy; it is the oxygen of the democratic space; and there is urgent need by the federal government to make intervention to save it from collapsing.”
The professional group of all the editors in Nigeria, said while the threat to the media freedom in Nigeria is real, the impact on the state of democracy in the country would be very dangerous, if not checked.
“Today is a day globally, to remind governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among journalists and other media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. We need to remind governments at all levels in Nigeria that a free and independent media that can keep the people informed and hold leaders accountable, is essential for a strong and sustainable democracy, including free and fair elections. Without it, Nigerians cannot make informed decisions about how they are governed; and address human rights abuses, corruption and abuse of power,” the editors stated.
The Guild said that its members are concerned that elected leaders in Nigeria, who should be press freedom’s dependable protectors, have made several overt attempts to silence the media voices through propose legislations – that clearly seek to criminalise journalism practice in the country.
The editors added that apart from the regular attacks on journalists – carrying out their legitimate editorial assignments by overzealous security agents, the current attempts to criminalise journalism practice in the country through obnoxious proposed laws, the suffocating economic environment and harsh political/economic policies of the federal government, have in the past few years, made it almost impossible for the media sector to carry out its constitutional responsibility for the benefit of the citizens.
“There is urgent need to protect the media; because the impact of the suffocating economic and political environment being created by the government will be very dangerous to our democracy. A threat to the media is a threat to our democracy. Governments at all levels must take the lead in making sure that their actions do not inspire violations of press freedom. A democratic society like Nigeria should know that it has a crucial role to play in maintaining media freedom and facilitating access to public information. Government should regularly take strong and immediate action against any violations of media freedom – this should include speaking out against violence against journalists and authorities’ failure/refusal to identify and prosecute attackers.’’
