The President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Eze Anaba, on Wednesday urged members to do more to promote citizens’ access to information.
Anaba made the appeal in an address of welcome at the 19th All Nigeria Editors Conference in Uyo.
He said that access to information would enhance participatory democracy and encourage good governance.
“Without access to information, this form of governance is not possible.
“Information creates the opportunity to discuss a range of available options and to take part in meaningful public policy discussions and informed political debates.
“Information allows the public to hold a government accountable by creating a public awareness of the government’s conduct.
“It is for this reason that the theme of this year’s annual conference is: “Stimulating Economic Growth, Technological Advancement: Role of the Media,” he said.
Anaba said that about 300 media executives and senior editors gathered for the conference.
He said that the conference would also examine Nigerian media sustainability, the existential threat of the Big Tech and the way forward.
The NGE president urged editors and other media professionals to continue to ensure balanced, accurate, factual and timely news reporting, which he described as the hallmark of journalism.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and Publisher of the Vanguard newspaper, Mr Sam Amuka, said that journalists were the conscience of the society, and warned them against publishing fake news.
He said, “You must always publish the truth.” Meanwhile, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to urgently evolve measures to regulate social media to tackle misinformation and disinformation.
Governor Otu made the call in a goodwill message at the opening of the All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Uyo.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Erasmus Ekpang, Otu said that social media had been misused to a large extent.
The governor described mass media as indispensable for societal development.
“The media should indulge more in critical analysis of issues instead of merely praising policymakers
”We can see that the media holds a critical place in our national development; the media should be reliable and trustworthy,” he said.
The governor further urged the mass media to propagate ideas that would stimulate economic recovery.
”The economy of every nation has direct bearing on the well-being of the citizenry; so, a prosperous economy will definitely breed a prosperous ctizenry,” he said.
Otu expressed worry at under investment in agriculture and small and medium scale enterprises.
”With adequate investment in agriculture, the level of poverty in the country will reduce.
”We must be together in the bid to develop our nation. With the right policies, we will get it right,” he said.
The conference had the theme: “Stimulating Economic Growth, Technological Advancement: Role of the Media. (NAN)
