The
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has applauded
Nigerian media for its role in the ongoing national campaigns against terrorism
and corruption, saying the media has availed itself creditably in keeping the
people informed about the campaigns, reports ITRealms.
“So
far we have enjoyed tremendous support from the media, especially in our
anti-corruption fight and our fight against terrorism. I think the media has
done very well,” he said while receiving members of the Nigerian National
Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI), who paid him a courtesy
visit in his office in Abuja on
Tuesday.
He
reiterated his earlier statement that in a time of national crisis, the media
cannot afford to be neutral.
''We
are not saying that you should suspend your professional judgement, but you
cannot afford to sit on the fence when the issues we are talking about are
issues that are capable of affecting the unity of the country.
''Just
the same way that the media rallied round us when we had Ebola crisis, they are
rallying round us today over the Boko Haram issue. I think that the kind
of support we have received from them and which we will continue to receive
from them is very gladdening,” Alhaji Mohammed said.
He
promised to collaborate with the IPI to improve the welfare and safety of
journalists practicing in Nigeria.
The
Minister urged the IPI to lend its voice to the ongoing fight against
corruption, saying the government will continue to prosecute the war within the
confines of the law.
He
advised those standing trial for corruption not to prolong their trial by
deploying unnecessary legal tactics, and said the rule of law should not be
misconstrued as a shield to protect corruption suspects from standing trial.
Alhaji
Mohammed also expressed the willingness of the federal government to partner
with the IPI to explore the possibility of hosting the 2018 Congress of the
Institute in Nigeria.
Earlier,
the Chairman of the Nigerian National Committee of the IPI, Mallam Kabiru
Yusuf, stressed the need for Nigeria to host the Annual Congress of the
Institute in 2018 because of the opportunity it will provide for the nation to
interact with leading global media professionals and also improve the image of
the country.
“It
is important that while we are trying to fix the country, we should also fix
its image. This will have to take some doing and we have to do it
ourselves and show the best sides of this country,'' he said.
Alhaji
Yusuf disclosed that the Institute is planning some training for journalists in
the country, especially in the area of safety in view of the challenging work
environment created by the insurgency in the North-east.
The
IPI is a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists who
are dedicated to the furtherance and safeguarding of press freedom, the
protection of freedom of opinion and expression, the promotion of the free flow
of news and information, and the improvement of the practice of journalism.
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