By Dada Ahmed.
The Nigerian editors rise from their 17the All Nigerian Editors Conference in Abuja with a call for healthy and harmonious collaboration between the media and the security agencies in the fight against insecurity across the country.
According to them, the call was necessary because insecurity is taking huge toll on societal life and posting negative development indices in several areas of Nigeria..
This is contained in a Communique at the end of its conference in Abuja, signed by its President,Mustapha Isah and Obosa, General Secretary and a copy available to The Reporters onTuesday. The conference also said that peace and development, which are germane to further advancement of Nigeria, could not thrive in times of crises, adding that stated that governments at all levels have a huge responsibility to defend, protect and provide for its citizens.
The theme of the conference is “Media In Times of Crises: Resolving Conflict, Achieving Consensus.”
‘’The problem of insecurity confronting the country is taking a huge toll on societal life and posting negative development indices in several areas. That the insecurity crises stem from leadership failure that has bedevilled the country for many years’’, the communique stated.
‘’There are fears in some quarters that editors and media professionals seem to have taken sides in the raging crises. That journalists and security agents who are first line responders to every flash points appear locked in mutual suspicion,’’the editors said.
Noting that that journalists were often times impaired and harassed by security agents from carrying out their professional responsibilities, the conference said that peace and development, which are germane to further advancement of Nigeria could not thrive in times of crises.
LThe conference resolved that ‘’Governments at all levels had responsibility to defend, protect and provide for its citizens. That agitations for self-determination, which are raging in the South-east, South-west and the South-south regions do not augur well for the unity of the country.
‘’The conference called for an end to raging insecurity so that citizens could conduct their normal lives in an atmosphere of peace and concord.
‘’There is a need for security agents to appreciate the role of Journalists and media professionals and refrain from anything that will abridge it,they added..’’
The conference also advised editors and other media professionals to ensure that they are conflict-sensitive and ensure they do not publish stories that capable of inflaming ethnic, regional and religious passion. While calling for urgent need to tackle the monster of misinformation and sanitize the media against unprofessional and unethical behaviour.
The conference also called on government to support the survival of the media as part of the task of building the nation’s democracy and avoid any acts that will put the media in chains.
While calling on the federal government to confront issues that have given rise to the demands of the different self-determination groups, the conference advised it to endeavour to deal with the different sections of the country on the basis of fairness, equity and justice.
‘’There is need for government to ensure that its policies and actions are sensitive to the multi ethnic and religious makeup of the country.
‘’Government needs to commit more resources to education, healthcare and tackle the rising costs of food and other social services’’, the conference stated,” according to the editors.
The conference was chaired by a veteran journalist, Ray Ekpu, with Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kolo Kyari, as Special Guest of Honour, and President, Newspapers Proprietors of Nigeria (NPAN), Malam Kabiru Yusuf, as Guest of Honour among other important dignitaries in the country.
Other highlight of the conference was the unveiling of the book chronicling 60 years of the Nigerian Guild of Editors titled, “Uneven Steps: The Story Of The Nigerian Guild of Editors” ,authored by Mr Lanre Idowu and reviewed by James Akpandem James.
The two-day conference was rounded up with a 60th Anniversary Dinner, which featured the induction of eight new Fellows and 13 new members.
At least,350 participants, comprise of editors, security chiefs, and other stakeholders, attended the occasion.
