The Nigerian Guild of
Editors (NGE) has told the Senate to consign the bill attempting to amend the
Nigerian Press Council Act of 1992 to the dustbin reports ITRealms.
According to the Guild
after the Standing Committee session at the weekend discussed the state of the
nation and the media and took particular note of the Nigerian Press Council Act
1992 (Repeal and Enactment Bill 2018) which is currently before the Senate
and has passed second reading.
The Nigerian Guild of
Editors, which met at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, vehemently condemns the
bill which seeks to criminalise journalists and journalism practice, takes away
the power of the law courts and usurps the constitutional duties of academic
institutions and regulatory agencies such as the National Universities
Commission (NUC).
The Guild observes that those behind this bill have been unrelenting in their quest to cage the media under different guises, as the bill has come up under different administrations since 1961. This bill bears semblance of obnoxious Decree 4 of 1984 and Decree 43 of 1993.
The Guild observes that those behind this bill have been unrelenting in their quest to cage the media under different guises, as the bill has come up under different administrations since 1961. This bill bears semblance of obnoxious Decree 4 of 1984 and Decree 43 of 1993.
The Guild is piqued
that the Senate could bring such a bill to the fore in spite of a subsisting
court case on the same subject without minding that it is subjudice.
In a communique
endorsed by President , Funke Egbemode and General Secretary, Victoria
Ibanga, the Guild frowned at the attempt by the promoters of the bill to
arrogate to the council the powers to decide which training institutions and
professional qualifications attained there from, should be acceptable for
journalism practice in Nigeria. This clearly abrogates the mandates of relevant
accrediting bodies.
The Guild wonders why
the sponsors of this bill are fixated on muzzling the press using draconian
laws which are clearly targeted at making the watchdog toothless. Sections 22
and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, are clear on the role of the
media.
The Guild perceives
this bill as provocative, primitive, anti-people and anti-press freedom at a
time when advocacy for free press is gaining stridency across the world.
It is noteworthy that
there is nothing in this bill that shows how the council intends to create an
enabling environment for the media to thrive as it is the case in other sectors
of the economy. This is particularly galling at a time the media industry is in
dire straits.
The sponsors of this
bill are clearly undemocratic and appear to suffer illusion of grandeur.
They seemed to be totally oblivious of the fact that the media houses are
businesses set up with investments apart from being the fourth estate of the
realm.
The Guild condemns the
bill in its entirety and will never nominate any of its members to serve in a
council that seeks to cage the media, destroy the profession and criminalise
journalists.
Indeed, it is the
opinion of the Guild that this bill should be consigned to the dustbin where it
rightly belongs.
Uboshe Uboshe/GEE
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