The need for the media to constantly hold the government accountable to the people has been restated at the just concluded 8th conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) in Port-Harcourt.
Guest speakers, panellists and discussants who made the call in their speeches and presentations stated that the media should effectively perform its constitutional responsibility for democracy to thrive in the country.
Dignitaries at the conference held September 1st and 2nd, 2021 included the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nlerum Sunday Okogbule, the chief host; Dr Jossy Nkwocha, group head of Corporate Communications at Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals and Fertiliser Ltd, Port Harcourt, the keynote speaker and the President of ACSPN and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State, Prof. Umaru Pate.
In line with the theme of the conference: ‘Media and Citizens Participation in Governance for Accountability and Peace in the Society’, Prof. Okogbule said the media should ensure that elected leaders abide by the provision of chapter 2 of the constitution, which defines the primary purpose of government as the promotion of the security and well-being of the people.
Read also: 14 ways to enhance capacity of the media
He bemoaned the cost of governance of Nigeria and urged the media to embrace advocacy for the reduction so that money could be freed for developmental purposes.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Mr Paulinus Nsirim, urged the media to focus on how the absence of positive values in national life has eroded development in all spheres.
He advised the media to promote the philosophy of leaving a positive legacy to avoid jeopardizing the future of the next generation.
Dr Nkwocha, a reputation management and communications specialist urged journalists across the country to uphold the roles assigned to them in the 1999 constitution to engender sustainable peace and unity in the country.
Speaking on: The Role of the Mass Media in Accountable Governance and Sustainable Peace in Society’ Dr Nkwocha reminded the audience of the provisions of section 22 that state: “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.”
He said some of the fundamental objectives that the mass media should uphold include the provision of section 23 which states that the national ethics shall be “discipline, integrity, the dignity of labour, social justice, religious tolerance, self-reliance and patriotism”.
He equally mentioned section 14, sub-section 3, which states that “The composition of Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in the Government or in any of its agencies”.
According to Dr Nkwocha journalists should be courageous enough to draw government attention to the fundamental objectives to reduce agitations of marginalisation and enhance peace in the country. He, therefore, enjoined the ACSPN and UNESCO to organise workshops or seminars for journalists on crisis reporting and peacebuilding reporting skills.
President of ACSPN said while the constitutional role of the media to hold the government accountable was not in doubt factors militating against the effective performance such as the issues of poor funding, competition from social media, the safety of journalists and decline in media credibility, among others, should be urgently addressed.
