The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, says he is worried about the survival of Nigeria owing to a myriad of challenges confronting the country.
Amaechi who spoke at the 2022 World Press Freedom Day at NUJ Press Centre, Information Drive, Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital on Tuesday, mentioned upsurge in insecurity and other challenges facing the country.
The Special Guest of Honour particularly blamed the politicians and elite as architects of the country’s challenges especially divisiveness, confusion and deliberate falsehood to create enmity between the masses and the government.
Read also: Akwa Ibom NUJ Joins in marking 2022 World Press Freedom Day
The Minister called on journalists to hold politicians and elite accountable for the country’s woes.
He said: “The problem of the country is not the poor man in Akwa Ibom or Rivers, in the South East or in the North. It is you and I, the elite.”
He also weighed in on the topic of restructuring.
The APC chieftain said: “Why you are hearing restructuring, it is because the elites’ consensus on sharing (resources) is disappearing.
“It is because there is nothing to share again. We are broke. The problem facing this country is caused by the elites, including you.”
Amaechi who is jostling for Nigeria’s Presidency under All Progressives Congress (APC) emphasised the need for journalists to create a forum for all the presidential aspirants to interface with the public to assess their capacity and competence to lead the country, if given the chance.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong called for balanced reportage among journalists devoid of sensationalism.
Ememobong thanked Amaechi for coming and for aspiring under APC for the office of Nigeria’s presidency just like another South South person, Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emanuel, who is also aspiring under PDP for the highest office in the country.
Jones G. Ayuwo, Senior Lecturer, University of Port Harcourt in a topic: Journalism under surveillance said press freedom is the beauty of any democracy, and indeed democratic government, saying ‘’If there is no press freedom, democracy cannot work.’’
”The Press – the fourth estate of the realm is not just the moulders, but also, the watchdogs of the society. Nevertheless, there has been a cat and mouse relationship between the press and governments; whether military or civilian, except when the Press allows itself to be cajoled, used, and manipulated by a government to suit its whims and caprices.
He identified the ban of newspapers and detention of journalists by government, especially in the less developed countries of the world have been an age-long story. For example, the Nigeria government has at one time or another banned or closed down media outfits such as newspaper and magazine houses, including broadcast stations in Nigeria.
”The most recent one is the ban placed on Twitter and its activities across the country. More recently is the COVID-19 media freedom violations across the world. Below is a data showing the rate of media freedom violations globally.”
The university don called on journalists to stand against every attempt from all corners that hamper free press as we celebrate this year’s World Press Freedom Day.
Earlier, the state NUJ Chairman, Comrade Amos Etuk, had said ”The Nigerian constitution under Section 39 (1) provides for the protection of press freedom. Despite this constitutional guarantee, governments at all levels in Nigeria have been known to use every means within their powers to scuttle the freedom of the press.
”Journalism practice in Nigeria, as in most parts of the world, is threatened by increasing intolerance of those in power and criminal elements using every means possible to emasculate the press.
”As we deal with the press under surveillance, we have progressed from the physical trailing of journalists by security agencies to all manner of technologies being deployed to ferret information from journalists working on sensitive stories. The trend has increased the threat faced by journalists, their families, and sources as they go about their work,”
He called for a conducive atmosphere for journalists to operate, I must restate the primacy of adherence to ethical standards in our practice. To whom much is given, much is expected. Society looks up to us for truthful balanced and professionally researched reports and anything short of that is a disservice to our society and our profession.
”In the build up to the 2023 general election in our country, I call on our members to be temperate in their reportage. The political and security situation in our country is such that utmost restraints and responsible journalism are called up each time we make editorial judgement.
”We must do away with sensationalism, politically insensitive and out rightly inciting reports. We have to emphasize that Akwa Ibom State remains one family, no matter the political differences.
”Elections will come and go, but our state remains. We must ensure that our reports are such that they would build, rather than destroy what we have. Nothing thrives in an atmosphere of strife, even the practice of journalism, so our efforts should be geared into maintaining the peace we have now and beyond the partisan political period we are now,” he added.
