A non Governmental Organisation known as Safer-Media Initiative has trained Nigerian journalists to improve their investigative reportage skills.
The training which took place at a Two-Day Capacity Building Workshop held in Abuja, Nigeria, tagged “Strengthening Grassroots Governance and Accountability Reporting”, had 39 Nigerian journalists in attendance.
Several facilitators trained participants on topics cutting across various media organisations on how to carry out investigative and solution-driven reporting.
The journalists were trained on diverse issues relating to solution and investigative journalism, investigative interviewing, generating story ideas, data gathering, communication ethics, as well as challenges journalists encounter during reporting and possible solutions.
The Executive Director Safer-Media Initiative, Peter Iorter said that the exercise was aimed at equipping media practitioners with the requisite skills to research and investigate corruption and other issues in Nigeria
He also pointed out that the training would guide participants on how to create a deeper public awareness of the menace of corruption through their reportage.
“The project aims to step up professional news coverage and investigative reporting, contributing to improving the sustainability capacity of journalists to perform their duty of holding government accountable, especially at the sub-national, state and local level as stated in the Nigerian constitution, ” he said.
He disclosed that after the training the organisation will provide funding to assist selected journalists in their investigations.
“SMI will provide small funding covering basic logistics to selected journalists. Trained and selected journalists will do investigative stories on issues around water, education, farming health, democracy deficits, poverty, ICT, women and children among others”, Mr. Iorter explained.
He added that Mentors will be assigned to support the selected journalists to uncover some of the ills in society and grassroots.
Dominica Nwabufo
