From left: Former Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Dr. Tonnie Iredia; the Executive Director, International Press Institute (IPI), Ms. Barbara Trionfi; Minister of Information
and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Chairman IPI Nigeria, Mallam Kabiru
Yusuf and the Secretary IPI Nigeria, Mr. Raheem Adedoyin, during a
courtesy visit to the Minister in Abuja on Thursday
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has restated the Federal Government’s commitment to the freedom of the press, saying the media has nothing to fear from the present Administration.
In the same vein, President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki has sued for partnership between the press and the National Assembly. He said this when the IPI team visited him on Thursday in Abuja
The Minister stated this in Abuja on Thursday when he received a delegation from the International Press Institute (IPI) on a courtesy visit to his office.
“The media has nothing to fear from the government but, on the contrary, we are the ones that cannot sleep with our eyes closed because of the media,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed, who said the government always takes criticism from the media in good faith, however, appealed to the media to be fair and constructive in its criticisms.
“Like I always say, this government will never stifle the media. We take so many punches everyday from the media. We are not saying please don’t criticise us, do criticise us, but please do your own homework thoroughly also and be fair to us. That’s all we are asking. Please criticise us on facts and not on emotion,” he said.
The Minister said the present administration believes that democracy cannot thrive without a free press but noted that the media should report the government within the context of the daunting challenges facing the nation, most of which were inherited by the Administration.
He thanked the IPI for its confidence in Nigeria by granting the country the hosting right for its annual congress, saying the IPI World Congress 2018, scheduled for Abuja on 21-23 June, will give the government the opportunity to showcase its achievements to the international media.
In her remarks, the Executive Director of IPI, Ms. Barbara Trionfi, said she is in the country to interface with media professionals towards the successful hosting of the forthcoming congress.
She commended the government for its efforts towards promoting press freedom and the safety of journalists in the country, and tasked the media industry to look beyond business rivalry and competition in order to cooperate and promote the core values of journalism.
Ms. Trionfi was accompanied on the visit by the Chairman of IPI Nigeria and Publisher of Media Trust, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf; former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Dr. Tonnie
Iredia, and the Secretary of IPI Nigeria, Mr. Raheem Adedoyin, among others.
Saraki, in his remarks during the visit, called for a closer collaboration between the press and the parliament in the overall interest of the nation’s democracy and better dividends for the people.
He said that he is excited that Nigeria is hosting this year’s edition of the world congress of the IPI and described the upcoming event as a great opportunity not only for the global press to have a better understanding of the country “but to give us an opportunity to be able to interact more in the interest not only of understanding issues here in Nigeria, Africa and the global world because to some of us we really believe that the growth and stability of the world today depends on what happens in Africa and in Nigeria.
“I believe that when the world start getting accurate information about what happens in Nigeria, I think the world will be a better place for it,” he said.
“I use this opportunity to also say that the strengthening of democracy of the country will rest not only in the media but also the legislative arm of government because we do basically the same thing in a way.
“I want to use this opportunity to seek that we should continue to see how closely the press and parliament can work more closely as institutions and not as individuals. I think this will go a long way in ensuring that our people are better served and benefit from the whole process,” Saraki stated.
In her response, Traofi said: “The space that the state can offer to quality journalism is vital not only in the sense of being hands off, but also in the sense of proactively giving the journalism community the safety they need to work professionally to get the information they need about the decision of the state, the decision of the Senate, and the decision of the government so that they can come cover it in a most accurate way.
“In view of all these I am most thankful to you and I am very glad to know that you and the institution you represent is in support of this event.
“So I think it is time the world not only covers what is going on in Nigeria, but covers it accurately having been in contact with the most trusted sources from the country.”
