The National Assembly has been urged to provide a legislative framework that will protect the interest of Nigerian journalists, as part of measures to promote press freedom.
The Executive Director, International Press Centre, Abuja, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, made the call at media roundtable discussions on the safety of journalists and press freedom in Abuja.
Ekwi Ajide of our Abuja bureau reports that while frowning at the recent threats and attacks meted out on media practitioners and organisations in the country, the Director appealed to the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to review the arbitrary amount levied as fines on media houses in the discharge of their duties.
In a keynote address with the theme “Information as a public good and quest for press freedom,” Reverend Father George Ehusani charged journalists to remain courageous in the dissemination of information for the good of the nation, while urging Government at all levels to create enabling environment for media practitioners for effective service delivery.
In his submission, the National President of the Nigeria Union Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Chris Isiguzo, said journalists must be allowed to carry out their duties with maximum freedom, while the National President of National Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Mrs. Ladi Bala, said until the economic freedom of journalists are secured, freedom of the press will remain elusive, as the major factor hindering journalists in Nigeria is low remuneration.
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