The Institute for Media and Society, IMS, has called on the Federal Government to comply with national and international instruments on the rights of journalists, and ensure their protection as they carry out their duties.
IMS made the call in a press statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Akin Akingbulu, in commemoration of the 2021 World Press Freedom Day 2021 with the theme ‘Information as a Public Good.’
Dr. Akingbulu noted that journalists must be protected while performing their duties and the government should, “investigate violations of their rights and bring violators to justice.”
He also stressed that “Governors of each of the 36 states have important roles to play. We call on the Nigerian Governors Forum to engage its members so as to reverse the growing trend of governors violating the rights of journalists.”
On the part of media owners and managers, Dr. Akingbulu urged them to “continue to explore innovative management mechanisms that will advance sustainability of their various media platforms and enhancement of journalists’ welfare.
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“Training institutions should, in collaboration with regulators, proprietors, and managers, design and implement media and information literacy programmes for media and citizen groups.”
He thereafter urge Journalists to “remain resolute in their commitment to professionalism, expansion of the frontiers of expression and keeping journalism in the service of democracy.”