Media and good governance

By Lekan Otufodunrin

For journalists in Bayelsa State, last week was an opportunity to reflect on how well they have been playing the expected role of holding the government of the state accountable to the people and what they still have to do to ensure that the citizens are not denied the dividends of having a democratic administration.

Twenty of them state participated in a two-day workshop on Post-Election Reporting organised by Media Career Development Network sponsored by the United States Consulate General, Lagos at which the former Dean of School of Communication, Lagos State University, Professor Lai Oso and I were the facilitators.

Essentially, the workshop was meant to enhance the culture of democratic accountability and good governance reporting among journalists in Bayelsa State which has been caught in some political intrigues and litigations over the governorship of the state.

The duty of the media holding the government accountable which is enshrined in the constitution is one role journalists need to perform very well considering the reputation of many politicians in the country not fulfilling their electoral promises.

To get elected, they make all kinds of electoral promises and come up with various programmes which they usually promise to implement. Unfortunately, Nigerians have witnessed years of unfulfilled manifestoes, with most political office holders not ensuring the good governance they pledged.

The Public Affairs Officer of the Consulate, Mr Stephen Ibelli in his opening remarks stressed the need for journalists in the country to take the role of holding government more accountable to the electorate more seriously to deepen democratic ideals.

While commending the Nigerian media for the roles it had played in defending democracy despite the various challenges, Ibelli said the media must ensure accountability and transparency through independent and unbiased reportage of performance of elected and appointed officials.

As the fourth estate of the realm, Oso noted that the media as independent agencies are expected to serve as the watchdogs of the society and its institutions of governance.

According to him, watchdog journalism is essentially investigative journalism  that brings attention to wrongdoing through reporting information that some implicated parties want to keep hidden, adding that apart from revealing abuse/misuse of power, it also include “facilitating a general debate about the functioning of government.”

To perform the crucial roles highlighted by Ibelli and Oso, I urged the journalists to improve on their reporting skills beyond the usual reportage that does not interrogate claims of the government on what has been done and not done.

More than ever before, journalists need to engage in fact-checking, Data-journalism, Investigative journalism, solution journalism and effectively use the new media to ensure comprehensive monitoring of government activities based on the promises made and the expectations of the people.

While the participants like other journalists in the country have been doing their best to play the roles expected of them, what was apparent from their responses was the need for the Bayelsa government to be more transparent and willing to be held accountable.

Access to necessary information according to the participants is limited, while the government also seems to prefer dealing with journalists not based in the state and “social media journalists” hired to promote the activities of the government.

From the little I saw about the state capital and what I heard from participants and other residents, Bayelsa state can do with better governance. The resources of the state can be better utilised for the good of the state and its people.