The Speaker of the Nigeria House Of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has appealed to the media to always be object in their reportage for the interest of democracy.
He was speaking at a Capacity-building Workshop For Members Of The House Of Representatives Press Corps, in Abuja, organised by the office of the Speaker.
The workshop aimed to provide an opportunity for the management of the House of Reps to jointly consider the role of the press in Nigeria democracy and to find ways to advance the cause of democracy and nation-building through media practice.
He said that democracy is a fragile construct and depends on the support of the electorate and also requires active participation by an informed citizenry.
“It demands competence, capacity, and integrity from those who oversee the affairs of the state, and it will not long survive unless both the leaders and the citizens operate within the rule of law. Democracy also requires careful tending and robust defence as a matter of course. The role of the press in a democracy is multi-faceted. You inform the public and you educate them about the law and government, politics and governance. You record history as it happens and preserve the national memory as a guide and warning for the future. And you hold power to account, ensuring that those who are chosen to serve the public interest keep faith with the citizens who depend on them. Democracy will not long survive without a vibrant, independent, innovative and patriotic press,” Gbajabiamila said.
The speaker noted that through the years, technological advances, the rapid increase in access to internet services, and the growth of social media has changed the way news is received and interacts with news and information.
“What we understand as the professional press – newspapers and magazines, television and radio – are now in competition with every member of the public with a smartphone, access to the internet and the inclination to participate in the public discourse. While the landscape within which the press operates has changed in dramatic ways, the duties of the press and the public expectation of them remains the same. We expect journalists and media organisations to maintain a high level of professional conduct; we demand accurate reporting and detailed analysis of public policy and expect the media to continue to defend citizens’ rights, hold the powerful to account and promote the public good through the honourable practice of journalism.
“We need journalists we can rely on to be our islands of accurate information and context in a sea of misinformation and propaganda manifesting as journalism. Having such organisations and individuals may in time to come, prove the difference between progress and regression and between peace and strife,” he added.
On his part, the Clerk, House of Representatives, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, said that democracy is all about the media and the legislature is the only institution where the people have a choice of who represents them.
He noted that there is a need to ensure a more organized, effective and unified communication channel for the National Assembly to curtail not only the litany of erroneous or sometimes completely false reportage of news about the activities and actions of the National Assembly, but also to protect the integrity of the reporting media houses.
“Without the Media, there cannot be a functional democracy or political participation in any democratic society. It is important to take time to reflect on your relationship with the National Assembly in general and the House of Representatives in particular over the years. It is true that the media owes the people an obligation to report development in the polity, it is also important that such reports are not borne out of desperation for a sensation that destroys the democracy that we intend to build and protect,” Danzaria said.
Similarly, the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Benjamin Kali, commended the House of Representatives Press Corps for always discharging its duties of timely and effective reportage of the activities of the House.
He added that the capacity building would further broaden the scope of knowledge the reporters.
Also speaking on the Capacity Building Workshop, the Special Assistant to the Speaker, Mr. Lanre Lasisi, said the knowledge to be gained at the workshop would go a long way in in improving the reporters workings of the activities of the House of Representatives.
While appreciating the Speaker for the learning opportunity, the Chairperson House of Representatives Press Corps, Miss Grace Ike, said promised a proper application of the knowledge gathered at the workshop.
She however called on the management of the National Assembly to check the influx of quacks who parade themselves as journalists at the National Assembly, who are tarnishing the image of the press corps.
There were paper presentations on ” The Role of the Nigerian Media in National Development: The Legislative Perspective” by Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, 9th Assembly: Role of the Media in Attainment of Legislative Agenda by Hon. Henry Nwawuba and Reportage in the Age of Social Media: Facts vs Fiction (Balancing News Speed and Accuracy in Reporting the Legislature, by Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi.
The theme of the workshop was “Deepening legislative knowledge through critical reporting.”
