By Friday Idachaba
Journalists have been urged to act independently, defend and prioritise public interests, ensure fairness and impartiality in their reports at all times for attainment of an accountable and egalitarian society.
A veteran journalist and Lead Facilitator Mr Steve Salawu, made the call during a one-day training workshop on Ethics for Journalists, organised by Stallion Times Media Services at the weekend in Lokoja.
Salawu in his presentation titled, “Code of Ethics for Journalists”, urged participants to uphold honesty, accuracy and fairness in their reportage as he cautioned them against compromises under whatever guise.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Stallion Times Isiyaku Ahmed, who also doubled as the Project Co-ordinator said there was need to place more emphasis on professionalism in the Media Practice.
“Stallion Times Media Services Ltd. is implementing a three-year Participatory Governance and Media Literacy project tagged “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve (G-DRIP)” in Kano and Kogi states.
“The project is in collaboration with the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism under the Collaborative Media Project (Collaborating for media independence and government accountability), funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
In this initiative, we are looking to among other things, build the capacity of journalists and other stakeholders on investigative reporting, ethics, safety, media literacy, and sustainability.
Alhaji Adeiza MomohJimoh, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi State Council described training as key to the Journalism profession and commended Stallion Times for bringing the training programme to Kogi.
A communiqué signed by Stallion Times CEO and NUJ Council chairman, Isiyaku Ahmed and Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh respectively was issued at the end of the Programme.
The Communiqué called on the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) and other regulatory authorities to ensure strict adherence to the ethics guiding Journalism practice to check incidences of quackery and promote professionalism.
It enjoined media owners to prioritise the welfare of journalists and minimise incidences of undue influence or interference.
It also urged practitioners to uphold accuracy and objectivity by reporting all sides to a story and ensure fairness and impartiality to minimise harm that could be caused through their reportage.
It also advocated for periodic training and capacity building for practising journalists to enhance professionalism in the industry and to ensure that right attitudes were properly inculcated.
“The right attitude must be introduced to form a basis for entrance into the profession so as to consistently engender sanity and propriety in the practice”, the Communiqué added.
The participants also called for enforcement of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and urged that government officials should be compelled to adhere to its provisions by making available to journalists required information of public interest at all times.