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The Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Barr Kennedy Ibeh, on Tuesday lauded Nigeria Journalists on their role in nation-building as the world marks 2022 World Press Freedom Day.
This is contained in a statement signed by the speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ifeanyi Onyekachi and made available to newsmen in Owerri.
Ibeh said that Nigeria Journalists were nation builders, whose roles have sustained Nigerian democracy.
He advised journalists to seize the opportunity to appraise and recommit themselves to the ethics that guide their noble profession.
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“Without adherence to ethics, professions will become part of national malaise, rather than solutions.
“That is why Journalists must constantly recommit to the canons of fairness, accuracy, objectivity, balance, and other ideals that guide their profession.’’
“While celebrating the World Press Freedom Day, I urge them to rededicate themselves to the role of being watchdogs of society.
“We as government will continue to support the media and ensure that they are not muzzled in anyway”, he added.
The speaker appealed to Journalists in Imo to see themselves as partners and always support Gov. Hope Uzodimma’s administration by projecting Imo in the positive angle.
The World Press Freedom Day is observed every May 3, to celebrate fundamental principles of press freedom.
In the same vein, a Kaduna-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) urged governments and security agencies to respect press freedom at all times.
The call is contained in a statement by Mr Iliya Kure, Execute Director of the AMDF and issued on Tuesday in Kaduna.
The statement, which is in commemoration of the 2022 World Press Freedom Day, lauded journalists across Africa and the world at large that had remained in the frontline, to practice journalism, despite the attacks, threats, imprisonment, loss and blackmail.
It then urged governments and security agencies in Africa to respect the freedom of the press at all times.
The statement noted that the AMDF was bothered by the increasing cases of harassment, arrests, imprisonment, torture and digital attacks on journalists, for no other reason other than doing their work.
It further stated that the AMDF aligned with the 2022 theme: Journalism Under Siege, which according to the statement is a reflection of the many challenges confronting journalists in the discharge of their duties.
“This is particularly important because the trend of online attacks on media is significantly increasing, with women journalists being the worst hit.
“A recent statistics by UNESCO shows a shocking prevalence of harassment online, where nearly 3/4 of female media professionals had experienced online violence, linked to their work,” it revealed.
The statement, however, urged journalists to adhere strictly to the code of journalism ethics, each time they wrote their stories.
“While AMDF continues to speak on impunity and injustice against journalism, we call on all stakeholders to join us in our resolve to continue in the fight for Press Freedom, until Africa is free from attacks and violence.
