Media Must Defend Democracy, Check Despotic Trends – Dogara
- Seeks life insurance for journalists
BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has challenged Nigerian journalists to unreservedly monitor public officers to check all dictatorial tendencies capable of threatening Nigeria’s hard-earned democracy.
The Speaker said as fourth estate of the realm and the society’s watchdog, the media plays a pivotal role in defending, protecting and promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the country.
Dogara, who spoke at the NUJ 2018 Press Freedom Awards night, also urged the media to always “tell the right stories, especially those that promote unity, peace and harmony as well as stand up for the right to truth, especially now that we inch towards the 2019 general elections.”
He lauded the Nigerian press for their role in the restoration of democracy in 1999, noting that many journalists paid the supreme price during military dictatorship.
“The theme for this year’s celebration, which is ‘Keeping power in check: Media, Justice and the Rule of Law’, is apt and timely because those who hold levers of power must be put in check so as to stop all dictatorial tendencies and protect our hard-earned democracy”, he said.
The Speaker said free press remains an essential ingredient of true democracy and the importance of the media in promoting democracy as well as the rule of law cannot be over emphasized, stressing that; “unhindered press must be encouraged to guarantee right to information.”
According to Dogara, “As a watchdog of the society and fourth estate of the realm, the media plays a pivotal role in protecting and promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
“Journalists must also tell the right stories, especially those that promote unity, peace and harmony as well as stand up for the right to truth, especially now that we inch towards the 2019 general elections.”
The Speaker however urged media organizations to work on improved welfare for journalists, even as her stressed the need to pay salaries and provide health insurance for journalists, who are exposed to all sorts of risks while doing their jobs, adding, “I will call on all proprietors of media organisations to promptly pay the salaries of their staff.”
“I will urge the NUJ to work towards implementing life insurance for journalists in Nigeria.
“I will also like to urge media practitioners to be objective, fair and balanced in their reportage and editorial policies and decisions because we cannot have freedom without responsibility” he said
Assuring that the House of Representatives and indeed the National Assembly will continue to partner and support the media in guaranteeing free press, the Speaker said the lawmakers consider as paramount the safety of journalists through the instrumentality of the legislature, as practiced in other climes.
Dogara promised that the ‘Distinguished Friend of the Media Award’ given to him by the NUJ will “motivate and spur us to continue to support and protect democracy and press freedom.”
