By Bolaji Ogundele and Sanni Onogu, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday restated his commitment to press freedom in Nigeria.
On the commemoration of this year’s World Press Freedom Day, he urged government information managers to always grant the press unfettered access.
But the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) believes the inalienable right to access and disseminate information through an independent press is under attack in Nigeria.
World Press Freedom Day is celebrated globally every May 3.
A statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, reads in part: “In line with the theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day, ‘Journalism under digital siege’, President Buhari assures that government agencies under his watch, will always stand against actions that are capable of limiting the preservation of the freedom of the Press, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The President salutes the courage and determination of those who daily go the extra time, sometimes at great personal risks, to keep the society well informed.”
Ahead of the general elections, the President urged the media to be mindful of sponsored political news or publications capable of inciting hatred, division, violence, and chaos in the country.
The press, he said, must also ensure that the electoral umpire and other stakeholders play their roles in delivering free, fair, credible and transparent elections.
“We must stay united in supporting media professionals who work hard to de-escalate violent conflict and promote peaceful societies without compromising the responsibility to report,” the President said.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan, in a statement to mark the day, assured members of the press that the National Assembly would continue, through legislation, to protect them and enhance the practice of their noble profession.
“Our fledgling democracy can only thrive under an environment of free speech and freedom of the press. That freedom is an essential ingredient of democracy.
“However, journalists must also continue to take due cognisance of their responsibilities to the society by wielding their mighty pens and keyboards with circumspection,” he said.
NGE: Save media from threats
The NGE, which believes that an independent press was under attack, said there was an urgent need to protect the media.
It emphasised that democracy is in danger when a free press is threatened.
In a statement by its president Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional group of all the editors in Nigeria said that while the threat to the media freedom in Nigeria is real, the impact on the state of democracy will be very dangerous, if not checked.
NGE said: “Today is a day globally, to remind governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom.
“It is also a day of reflection among journalists and other media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.
“We need to remind governments at all levels in Nigeria that a free and independent media that can keep the people informed and hold leaders accountable, is essential for a strong and sustainable democracy, including free and fair elections.
“Without it, Nigerians cannot make informed decisions about how they are governed; and address human rights abuses, corruption and abuse of power.”
The Guild said its members were concerned that elected leaders, who should be press freedom’s dependable protectors, have made several overt attempts to silence the media voices through proposed legislation that clearly seeks to criminalise journalism practice in the country.
The editors noted that there are regular attacks on journalists carrying out their legitimate editorial assignments by overzealous security agents.
It deplored the current attempts to criminalise journalism practice in the country through obnoxious proposed laws.
NGE also decried what it called the suffocating economic environment and harsh political/economic policies of the Federal Government.
These, it said, have in the past few years made it almost impossible for the media sector to carry out its constitutional responsibility for the benefit of the citizens.
The NGE added: “There is an urgent need to protect the media because the impact of the suffocating economic and political environment being created by the government will be very dangerous to our democracy. A threat to the media is a threat to our democracy.
“Governments at all levels must take the lead in making sure that their actions do not inspire violations of press freedom.”
“A democratic society like Nigeria should know that it has a crucial role to play in maintaining media freedom and facilitating access to public information.
“Government should regularly take strong and immediate action against any violations of media freedom – this should include speaking out against violence against journalists and authorities’ failure/refusal to identify and prosecute attackers.”
The NGE also called on the Federal Government to make newsprints, broadcast equipment and all other consumables in the media sector tax-free to save the media from total collapse.