Tag: Nigerian Guild of Editors

Editors Reaffirm Commitment to Defence of Democracy, Press Freedom

Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has restated its resolve not to buckle under any circumstances in its historic duty of defending and promoting the cause of democracy and press freedom in the country.

This was part of the communique made available to the public at the end of a Town Hall Meeting/Capacity Building.

The events held in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria with the last one in Port Harcourt, the South-South Zone.

The resolve is captured in a press statement signed by the President of the Guild, Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren.

The NGE said it has contributed immensely to the sustenance of democracy in the country.

Part of it’s contributions as contained in the statement is putting the lives of many of its members on the line in the form of constant harassment, brutalization and death.

Guild : Nigerian Guild of Editors urges govt to find missing Vanguard journalist
Notwithstanding, the NGE said its members are now more equipped and energized by the training to discharge their constitutional role of holding government accountable to the people.

The editors who commended the US Embassy in Nigeria for sponsoring the regional training workshop for 350 editors across the six geopolitical zones, urged the Embassy to also support step-down trainings for line editors and reporters.

According to the communiqué, the editors explained that having consistently put down their lives in the defence of democracy, they have also resolved to take the gauntlet by sifting from the array of aspirants angling for public office.

ALSO READ: US doles out N93m to Nigerian Guild of Editors

Such sifting, members noted, is to ensure that the electorate are provided with credible information to make informed choices in the democratic process, TheMewsGuru.com reports.

‘’Editors have resolved to assist in ensuring that frivolous and unserious candidates, as well as those who have not demonstrated any capacity for leadership, are weeded out from the race.

‘’That ahead of the 2023 general election, editors should engage more with other stakeholders like civil society groups, the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies and others in deepening the democratic process.

‘’The editors should also ensure that the parties and their candidates are properly guided along issue-based campaigns and discourage campaigns anchored on exploring the ethnic, religious and regional divide that tend to put the country asunder’’, TheNewsGuri.com was informed.

Noting that the media thrives better under a democratic rule, the NGE explained that the media has contributed significantly more than any section of the Nigerian society in enthroning, promoting and sustaining the cause of democracy in Nigeria.

‘’While other sections of the society were pummelled under military dictatorship, the media stood like the rock of Gibraltar and had the effrontery to look the military in the eye.

‘’Unfortunately, in spite of the huge human and material resources of the country, many years of democratic rule have not brought significant development in different sectors to meaningfully impact on the lives of the Nigerian people. But the media will not give up in the its defence of democracy’’, the editors added.

Amidst increasing misinformation, disinformation and deliberate falsehood in cyberspace, the editors also resolved to explore the use of fact-checking tools to verify stories as part of the process of erasing the credibility gap.

According to the editors, ‘’There is need for the media to always use fact check tools to verify its stories. And that no matter how reliable a source has been in the past, the media should always be circumspect about any disclosures from any sources by double checking the information.’’

Noting that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) can assist the media to deal with the problem of anonymity of sources, particularly when confronted with legal matters, the editors said that there is a need for the media to make more use of the Act as part of the move to instil greater credibility on its stories.

Arising from the conversations at the conferences in the six geo-political zones, the editors said that while regulation of media practice will accord media professionals greater respect like other groups, pandering to the antics of a government, which has consistently shown abrasive zeal to hamstrung the Nigerian media – to solely regulate the media, will be harmful to its survival.

‘’This is more so given its insidious use of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) codes to clamp down on stations that give vent to anti-government opinions.

‘’Editors agreed that the media should endeavour to regulate professional practice and also ensure proper corporate governance on the part of the owners of media houses, in order to guarantee adequate supply of working tools, better working environment and improvement in staff welfare’’, the editors further added.

Editors commended the NGE leadership, led by Mustapha Isah, for ‘’lifting the bar of engagement’’ via the training workshop, which has not only enriched their knowledge but also created a platform for further social networking amongst members.

May 18, 2022
NGE: US supports Nigerian Editors’ capacity building with N93.3 million

…holds workshops, town hall meetings in six geo-political zones

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has received $226,889 (equivalent of about N93.3 million) from the United States of America through its embassy in Nigeria, to facilitate activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of its members to understand, appreciate and deliver on their constitutionally assigned responsibility to hold government accountable to the people.

In a press statement issued yesterday by the NGE’s President, Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional body of editors, said the capacity building will include training programmes for Editors and other senior journalists on Press Freedom/Democracy, as well as Town Hall meetings on media regulation framework.

‘’The project also entails printing and distribution of the Journalism Code of ethics, and strengthening of the NGE’s website – news alerts on media violations.

“These capacity building conferences, which will hold in the six geo-political zones across the country, are to provide a platform for editors to be reminded of the sacred duties they are tasked to perform by the constitution on behalf of the citizens’’, the NGE stated.

‘’Drawing copious examples from the advanced democracies around the world, like US – after which the Nigerian constitution is formed, the conferences are expected to instil in the editors the need to perform their duties with the highest form of standard and sense of responsibilities.’’

The body of all Nigerian editors hopes that a responsive and professional media will have the spin-off effect of keeping the government on their toes, holding government accountable to the citizens, securing the confidence and support of the citizens and the international community and advancing the democratic growth and consolidation.

Explaining other components of the project, the NGE added that it will also strengthen NGE’s website to meet up with the demands for news alerts on media violations, public feedback and complaints on allegations of malicious media reportage.

‘’This would provide an opportunity for the Guild to strengthen its online presence to promptly disseminate current information with members and the general public, including international partners and audiences.

‘’A third component is the printing and distribution of Nigeria Journalism Code of Ethics to all journalists, including editors to popularise among editors and senior journalists the professional code of ethics that guilds their profession and have these instilled in their sub-consciousness and serve as a guiding principle.

‘’It will also help to promote good governance, transparency and deepening of democracy through objective media practices that effectively demands accountability from those in authorities towards advancing the socio-economic well-being and rights of the people, and enrich their cultural practices, and human rights, in line with the values expected of a modern democratic state’’, the statement explained.

The NGE said that at this critical point in Nigeria, especially as it moves towards 2023 general election, the country needs a media that can help set social and political agenda in support of a better society, helping to build visions of hope, nudge Nigerians and Nigeria on the path of development, social reengineering and renaissance.

On the Town Hall meetings component of the project, the statement explained that it will provide a huge opportunity for stakeholders to assess media performance in consolidating Nigerian’s democracy and outline an agenda for the future.

The NGE said that it has also planned strategy meetings with Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and other media focused NGOs on framework for self-regulatory for Nigerian media.

‘’This will provide a platform for media stakeholders to undertake self-introspection and develop a framework for media regulation, which will not only have their buy-in but also improve the standard for media practice in Nigeria thereby reducing, if not eliminate, incidents of sub-standard and unprofessional reportage in the Nigerian media.

‘’Such conversations and hopefully eventual adoption of self-regulatory framework could also have a regional spin-off whereby countries within the region, and indeed Africa, could be encouraged to borrow a leaf from the Nigerian example, as was the case with the adoption of a Freedom of Information Act in Nigeria subsequently having a positive spin-off in Ghana’’, the NGE added.

On the expected impact of the project, the editors said that a pool of Nigerian editors and media managers will be galvanised and will be committed to the highest ethical standard and taking robust actions to ensure same. And committed to the promotion and protection of the right to independent press, freedom of expression and the deepening of democratic space.

The NGE also hoped that at the end of the project, mobilised pool of editors will be constantly projecting issue-based governance in defence of the mass of the Nigerian people in line with Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

According to the statement, the programme looks to galvanise the key stakeholders to act responsibly and deny the authorities the moral authority to take punitive actions against the media for performing their constitutionally assigned role to hold the government to account, and to the general citizens the right to hold and voice their opinions on the conduct of public officers.

From the timelines of the project, the South-west conference and the Town Hall meeting will hold in Lagos between December 2 and 4.

November 14, 2021
Nigerian Guild of Editors urges govt to find missing Vanguard journalist

As the world marks the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against journalists today, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has called on government at all levels to make deliberate and sustained efforts to promote a safe and enabling environment for journalists to perform their work freely.

The editors also reminded the government that attacks on journalists have destructive effect on dissemination of information and helpful debate in a democratic space. They expressed concern over the way journalists are increasingly subjected to all forms of threats, including kidnapping, torture, physical attacks and other forms of harassments.

In a statement issued on Monday by NGE’s President, Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary, Iyobosa Uuwgiaren, the professional group also called on the security agencies to immediately locate a missing a journalist, Mr. Tordue Salem; investigate all forms of attacks against journalists – with the sole purpose of prosecuting the offenders.

Mr. Salem, a journalist with Vanguard Newspapers, who covers the House of Representatives, has been declared missing in the past few weeks.

The United Nations General Assembly had proclaimed every November 2 as the ‘’International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists’’ in General Assembly Resolution A/RES/68/163. The resolution urges Member States to implement definite measures countering the present culture of impunity.

This milestone resolution condemns all attacks and violence against journalists and media workers. And also urges Member States to do their utmost to prevent violence against journalists and media workers, to ensure accountability, bring to justice perpetrators of crimes against journalists and media workers, and ensure that victims have access to appropriate remedies.

While expressing worry over refusal by the appropriate authorities to properly investigate threats of violence and attacks against journalists in the past few years, the NGE said that it is very troubling for an adult like Mr. Salem to just vanish into thin air for the past three weeks without a trace.

Giving instances of attacks against journalists in the past two years, the Guild said that on October 11, last years, Gimba Kakanda, a columnist with Daily Trust newspaper, was attacked by police officers, when he tried to pick up his car near the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Abuja.

Also on October 11, 2020, the police violently attacked Arise Television cameraman, Francis Ogbonna, and a reporter, Ferdinand Duruoha, while they were covering protests in Abuja.

‘’We also have on record how some unknown gunmen – on October 12, 2020, attacked Television Continental presenter, Theophilus Elamah, in the chest and forced him and the cameraman he was working with, Julius Idowu, to leave the protest area.

‘’On October 17, 2020, Oluwatoyin Yusuf, a reporter with the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC), was attacked by unidentified men while covering a protest in Oshogbo, the state capital.

‘’Also on October 21, 2020 in Lagos, unknown men attacked the offices of Lagos State Television (LTV) and the TVC broadcaster.

‘’While covering the October 21 attack on TVC, Ayo Makinde, a reporter with the privately owned Channels Television broadcaster was assaulted by unidentified people’’, the Guild added.

The NGE reminded politicians, government officials and security agents that while they like to present their success stories and their opinions, using the media to gain public respect and widen their authority; the media’s role is to question them critically, and hold them accountable to the people.

‘’If journalists are to discharge their constitutional and social responsibilities earnestly and robustly, politicians, government officials and security agents must treat them respectfully. They must ensure regular flow of information and frank dispassionate approach in dealing with journalists’’, the editors stated.

Aside from deadly attacks, the NGE said that it has also noticed ‘’anti-media rhetoric’’ by some politicians and senior government officials – that is hostile to the media.

According to the NGE, ‘’This anti-media rhetoric has lent a hand to a sense of resentment against journalists, and contributed hugely to questioning of trust in the media, and creating a susceptible working atmosphere for journalists and media workers.

‘’We have also noticed that some members of the National Assembly are using prerogatives of so-called ‘’fake news’’ as a doubtful justification to propose amendments to media laws – with intention to criminalise journalism practice in Nigeria, curtail freedom of expression, suffocate democratic space and muzzle journalists in particular.’’

The editors reiterated that the media is neither a political rival nor opponent of the government; but an institution recognises by Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution to at all times hold public officials accountable to the people and promotes good governance.

November 2, 2021
Nigerian Guild of Editors mourns veteran journalist, Tony Momoh

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) is once again thrown into mourning over the passing of veteran journalist and consummate administrator, Prince Tony Momoh FNGE.

He died at his residence in Abuja on Monday, February I, 2021, at the age of 81.

Prince Momoh’s death is coming less than one week after the Guild lost one of its Fellows, a former Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Mr. Ben Egbuna, to the cold hands of death.

Prince Momoh, also a Fellow of the Guild, was a lawyer, politician, author and a former Minister of Information and Culture (1986–1990), during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. He was Chairman of the African Conference of Information Ministers from 1988 to 1990.

He was also the National Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the parties which merged to form the now ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC).

A bibliotherapist, Prince Momoh was a journalist par excellence, who served Nigeria creditably in several capacities.

Prince Momoh started his journalism career as a Sub-Editor at the Daily Times of Nigeria in October 1962, rising steadily through the ranks to become Editor and later Deputy General Manager of the media conglomerate.

Prince Momoh is a recipient of many honours, including fellowships of the Commonwealth Journalists’ Association, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria.

Undoubtedly, Prince Momoh was a distinguished elder statesman, a patriot and a nationalist of the first order. He will be greatly missed by the Guild, the entire Nigerian media industry and the country at large.

The body of Editors joins the royal family of Auchi Kingdom and the government and people of Edo State to mourn Prince Tony Momoh, a quintessential Nigerian, who gave his all to the service of his beloved country.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.

February 2, 2021
Nigerian Guild of Editors calls on FG to save media from total collapse

The Nigerian Guild of Editors has called on the federal government to intervene and save the media from total collapse, specifically recommending that the FG inject funds not only to help keep media jobs but, also to ensure continued existence and operations of the various media houses.

The Nigerian Guild of Editors, acknowledging the dire state of the media, now made worse by the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, made the call in a communiqué issued by its standing committee meeting arising from an extraordinary meeting held via Zoom.

The Guild emphasised federal government financial intervention on the ground that media services are regarded as “essential services” and hence, deserve to be treated like other essential services that played key roles on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19.

The communiqué reads: “The Standing Committee acknowledges the dire state of the media, now made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic and reaches the following conclusions:

“There is an urgent and very compelling need for Nigerian government intervention to save the media from total collapse. The Guild specifically recommends the injection of funds by the federal government, not only to help keep media jobs but, also to ensure continued existence and operations of the various media houses, be they Print, Electronic or New Media.

“Notes that using public funds to finance private sector operations to save them from bankruptcy and total eclipse is not new and has been adopted in other jurisdictions. It cites the instance of the United States government, which used public funds to save the U.S. automobile industry, banking and other ailing sectors from insolvency during the financial crisis of 2008 and currently with the $2 trillion bailout for companies, amid the COVID-19 scourge.

“The Guild emphasises federal government financial intervention on the ground that media services are regarded as “essential services” and hence, deserve to be treated like other essential services that played key roles on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19.

“The body of Editors avers that government intervention at this point is imperative, to ensure that the media continues to discharge its constitutional duty; stressing that survival of the media is sine qua non for the survival of democracy.

“It supports the position of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), both of which have made strong appeals to the Federal Government of Nigeria for financial intervention.

“The Guild notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the poor state of infrastructure in the nation’s health sector and urges governments at all levels, to apply the lessons learnt from the pandemic to fix the nation’s healthcare delivery system.

“In the same vein, the Guild frowns at the sudden spike in gender-based violence, especially rape and calls on law-enforcement agencies, the criminal justice system officials and other relevant bodies to consider gender-based violence as ‘special offences’ deserving of special attention, including expedited investigations and judicial process.

“The distinguished professional body urges the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to set up a Special Investigation and Prosecution Team, trained and primed, to deal with gender-based issues.

“The Guild notes that the Police play a major role in the course of investigation and prosecution of gender-based violence; therefore, the Police should be seen to be helpful and empathetic, not bullish and frustrating.

“While expressing dismay at stigmatisation of victims of rape and allied crimes, it urges parents and guardians not to succumb to intimidation and societal scorn but to boldly speak out against such violence.

“Recalling recent incidents of attack on media personnel, the Guild condemns the penchant of some State Governors to assume the role of judges in their own case, by arbitrarily harassing, assaulting and in some cases, detaining journalists. The Guild describes such predilection to impunity as unconstitutional, violation of individual rights and threat to the practice of journalism and freedom of speech”.

June 7, 2020
Nigerian Guild of Editors assures NCC amiable media pally

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has assured the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) amiable media pally, stressing that the body is ready to collaborate the telecoms regulatory agency to bring progress to telecoms in Nigeria.

The President of the NGE, Funke Egbemode, made the assurance at a Special Media Interaction organized by the NCC at the Sheraton Hotel and Tower Ikeja, Lagos state, Nigeria.

R-L: Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Publisher, TheNewsGuru; NCC EVC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, NCC EC, Stakeholders Management, Mr. Sunday Dare, and NCC Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo

The Publisher of TheNewsGuru, Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, who represented the NGE president at the event said, “We spread the hands of fellowship to you, and we assure you that in everything that will bring progress to telecoms in Nigeria, we will support you”.

The NCC had tagged one of its town hall meetings “Information and Education as Catalysts for Consumer protection,” and stressed at the Special Media Interaction that the NGE has a role to play in ensuring that telecoms consumers are better informed.

Earlier, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, in his speech, had called on the Guild of Editors to partner with the Commission for a better informed telecom consumer, saying the media, both print and electronic, are as important as the job NCC is doing.

Present at the event are a host of NCC executives including Mr. Tony Ojobo, Director Public Affairs; Mr. Sunday Dare, Executive Commissioner Stakeholders Management; and Mrs. Funlola Akinyode, Director Licensing and Authorization.

Also present at the event are a host of media chiefs including the Group Managing Editor of TheNewsGuru, Mr. Jewell Dafinone.

May 17, 2017