World Press Freedom Day: Presidential aspirant urges journalists to hold public officers accountable
By James Akpan
Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Tuesday joined the rest of the World to mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day.
The event had as chairman and Special Guest of honor the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Chibuike Ameachi.
Mr Ameachi who is the APC Presidential aspirant at the event called on journalists to hold public office holders accountable.
Mr. Ameachi who is also a former governor of Rivers State said without the press, the Nation cannot progress.
The guest lecturer for the day, Dr Jones Gilbert Ayuwo who is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies, University of Port Harcourt called on journalists to stand against any attempt by the governments to gag the press as such will spell doom for the profession.
Dr. Ayuwo posited that it will be difficult to eradicate fake news in the society because of the internet.
He said due to technological advancement, journalism cannot be successful without the internet but urged the media professional to use it with decorum.
The lecturer advised Journalists to work by the tenets of journalism and contribute meaningfully to societal development.
Dr. Ayuwo noted that the government is at risk without the press because the beauty of Democracy is press freedom.
He outlined issues that affect press freedom to include: coercion, violence, pandemic, cost, social media, economic,Social, Technology pressure among others.
Chief among the issues mentioned was the social media where journalists refuse to move around in search of news rather they resort to copying and pasting fake news items and this, in turn, brings about surveillance from the government and other agencies.
He urged journalists to crosscheck facts failure which will make the profession fall below standard.
Dr. Ayuwo told journalists to be up to date in technology, separate personal from professional moods, and Report Attacks, emphasising that there must be some level of checks and balances.
On his part, the commissioner for Information and Strategy Comrade Ini EmemObong who likened the topic of discussion to a situation where the hunter becomes the hunted said that journalists should strive in all circumstances to reflect who they are.
