…As NUJ President advocates security, conducive environment for Media professionals
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC in collaboration with MacArthur Foundation and Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ have trained media professionals across the Country on corruption prevention.
About eighty Journalists across the six Geo-political zones of the country participated at the training which took place at Reiz Continental Hotel Abuja.
Declaring the one Day workshop open, Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruptio and Financial Crime, Senator Udende Emmanuel commended ICPC for its readiness to fight corruption through different measures, urging media professionals to be truthful and follow ethics of journalism in their reportage.
Represented by Senator Sheu Lawan
promised that the National Assembly would continue to support anti corruption agencies to wage war against corruption and other financial misappropriations in the interest of good governance.
In his address, Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu called on the media to intensify efforts in supporting the fight against corruption in Nigeria as he highlighted the essential roles that the media play in promoting transparency and holding individuals as well as institutions accountable.
He stressed that the media is a crucial partner in exposing corrupt practices and creating public awareness about the detrimental effects of corruption.
“The media is a key ally in our fight against corruption, without the work of investigative journalists and robust reporting, much of the corruption we see today would remain hidden from the public eye,” he stated.
He urged pen professionals to continue digging deep into corruption cases and also to ensure accuracy, fairness, and professionalism in their reporting.
The Country Director of the MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shettima called on media to expose corruption and highlight positive stories and individuals driving change in Nigeria’s fight against corruption.
In his remarks, the President, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Comrade Chris Iziguso commended the efforts of ICPC in fighting corruption to ensure good governance in Nigeria.
He explained that corruption remained major problem affecting the socio economic development of the country, saying journalists are major organs that can help to expose corruption through investigative journalism.
The NUJ President noted that pen professionals would continue to work as a bridge between the government and the members of the public to ensure that corruption become thing of the past in public and private organizations.
According to Iziguzo, fighting corruption is not a one man work but collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
He said the workshop put in place would strengthen fight against corruption in the country and called for the safety of journalists, especially while trying to espose corrupt individuals in the society.
Comrade Iziguso called on government, civil societies, proprietor of media houses to provide enabling environment and tools for journalists to carry out their duties effectively, urging media professionals to make use of the knowledge gained during the one day workshop to engage in reportage that would free Nigeria from corrupt minded people.
Also, the Director of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria FRCN, Dr Muhammed Bulama, that of the Nigeria Television Authority NTA, represented by Haji Alima Musa-Sule and the of the News Agency of Nigeria NAN, noted that media was the most successful tool to fight corruption in the country, promising more robust partnership with ICPC in its fight against corrupt practices.
