By Dada Ahmed
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), its affiliates, key media and civil society organisations, in their efforts to profer solutions to security, political and ethno religious crises facing the country, rose from their two-day,3rd National Media Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Tuesday with 17-point communique.
The communique signed by members of the Communique Drafting Committee: Amos Dunia, Ifeyinwa Omowole,Emma Couson and Shaiubu Usman Liman and the National Secretary of the union, the conference noted that “more is required of practitioners as watch dogs of the society, particularly, at this trying period in which a balanced reportage is more than ever before desired.”
The stakeholders said taking into cognisance that the primary responsibility of government is the protection of lives and property of citizens, against the backdrop of prevailing situations, Government had been overwhelmed and unable to effectively carry out this onerous responsibility.
They, therefore, urged citizens to assist in community mobilisation as a way of addressing insecurity and noting that it would be disastrous to allow citizens to lose confidence in the ability of Government to deal with the situation.
The conference, in its retrospect on the role of journalists with regard to their core mandate of informing, educating and holding government and leaders accountable, observed that the media had played active role in the propagation and proliferation by promoting their different names and titles and serving as a vehicle for their messages.
The Reporters gathered that other resolutions stakeholders arrived at the conference, which has the theme:” Media, Insecurity and National Unity”, include:
“The Nigeria Union of Journalists takes note of the responsibility of the State to guarantee safety of lives and property, to protect the economy and economic resources areas, critical infrastructure, environment, including forest reserves and national assets.
“The Government should in enforcing security policies, carry stakeholders at all levels of governance along and ensure good governance.
“The Media should mediate with its distinct role of being between the governed and the rulers, particularly in situation of existential threats. The Union urges its members to prioritise mediation in the prevailing tension that pervades all geo-political zones and the threats to Nigeria’s unity.
” The Conference urges media practitioners to exercise caution in their reportage and analysis of unfolding events as weli as play the role of a mediator between contending forces and actors.
” The media should be a partner in de-escalating tension instead of being a party to the confit.
” As for the controversy generated by the suspension of the microblogging platform — Twitter, the Union notes the wide spread use of its resourcefulness in promoting dialogue, individual expression and commerce. The Union therefore solicits for caution on all sides.
“Inview of the challenges impacting on press freedom, freedom of expression, the Union will establish a Special Press Freedom Monitoring and Defence Committee.
” The Conference, as part of innovation being injected into the NUJ, an *‘NUJ HALL OF FAME’ was launched.
” It is in view of this that the Conference resolves that the HALL OF FAME shall be instituted to accord due recognition to deserving public office holders, technocrats, journalists and other deserving members of the society who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields.
“In this wise, His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, became the first inductee of the HALL OF FAME.
” The Conference stresses the need for the adherence to the rights of the people to freely express themselves and comment on the affairs of state and conduct of government as an intrinsic part of democracy that demands accountability of rulers and public officers to the citizenry.
“Conference notes that a factor we cannot ignore is the fact, that Nigeria is a country that fought a civil war. Those who were active players in the war, from children that were born after the war to those who experienced the war, have not gotten a closure.
“Stakeholders call on the NU) to lead the national voice for healing the actors of the Nigerian Civil War still alive, to engage and dialogue on issues that bind them as well as commit to ensuring that past events are put behind them and ail find closure.
“Conference also notes that #EndSARS was just a ventilation of bottledup anger, dissatisfaction and discontent with the elites.
” Conference notes that more than 60 years after independence, it is still battling with ‘State of Origin’ in our National Data Collection System taking into cognisance that ethnicity and tribe played a negative role in the cause of the RWANDAN war.
” Participants commend His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for hosting the Conference and thank the people of the State for the warm reception.”
