The
Nigerian Guild of Editors has called on the government to create an enabling
environment for press freedom and ensure the prosecution of crimes against
journalists.
The
body which made the call on the occasion of this year’s World Press Freedom Day
specifically called on the government and security agencies to reopen and
urgently resolve all pending cases of attacks and killings of journalists and
media workers in the country.
That,
it said, should be with the intention of truly bringing to book, those
responsible for the crimes, in order to serve as a deterrent to others.
The
calls by the group is contained in a statement signed by the President of the
Guild, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, and the General Secretary, Mrs. Victoria Ibanga.
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| Funke Egbemode, President Nigeria Guild of Editors |
The
statement reads in part: “Flowing from the theme of this year’s
celebration, ‘Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice,’ we join all well-meaning
organisations such as the United Nations (UN) to call on the government to
create an enabling legal environment for press freedom and give special
attention to the role of an independent Judiciary in ensuring legal guarantees
for press freedom and the prosecution of crimes against journalists…
“We
call on the government and security agencies to reopen and urgently resolve all
pending cases of attacks and killings of Journalists and Media workers in the
country and bring perpetrators to book, to serve as deterrent to others.”
The
group stressed that impunity and all forms of oppression and molestation must
stop if the freedom of the press is to be encouraged.
It
urged the government to begin to treat the Media as an ally in development and
nation building.
NGE
said considering the significant roles the media had played in the struggle for
independence, enthronement of democracy and promotion and propagation of social
justice and human rights, it deserved to be treated with utmost respect.
Government, the body said, should as a matter of
fact see the protection of journalists from physical harm and intimidation as
its responsibility.
It lamented the poor situation of the media in
the country today, arguing that the poor state of the economy had rendered it
impotent.
“Regrettably and in all fairness, all is not well
with the Media industry in Nigeria. The cost of production materials is having
a devastating effect on daily operations and the survival of the Media in general. This development, no doubt, has affected
payment of monthly emoluments of media workers, thus creating an atmosphere of
uncertainty and in effect, reducing the general morale of journalists in the
country.
“While the media industry has supported all other
sectors of the economy, it is left to bear the brunt of everything that has
gone wrong with the economy. We are losing revenue and forced to reduce
manpower.
“It is important to call the attention of all on
a day like this that a nation whose economy does not and cannot support the
economy of its Media industry cannot thumb its chest that its press is free. A
broke Media industry has no press freedom and is, therefore, far from being
free, for as long as the economic shackles are firmly in place.”
The group also challenged journalists to
collectively play their role in the interest of the generality of Nigerians
whose trust they hold by maintaining and observing the highest professional and
ethical standards in total compliance with the Code of Ethics of the Journalism
profession.
NGE said journalists must not allow agents of retrogression to
use their platforms to preach hate and extremism under the guise of free
speech.
It also commiserated with the families of
journalists and other media workers who paid the supreme price in the course of
serving humanity.
“We celebrate all our colleagues who have
continually defied the odds to shine the light into the darkest places, hold
government accountable to the people and tell compelling stories about our
communities and nation. We salute your courage,” the Guild added.
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