By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has charged the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) to use the media to engender a new template of reportage that will be development oriented.
Governor Eno, who made the charge in his speech at the 19th All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC), held in Uyo, the state capital, positioned the need for media to hold public office holders in the country accountable but in a pleasant way.
According to the governor, the society does not accept a plaint media that act like the cheer leader to government, but one that has integrity anchored on professionalism.
He also advocated a free press, where journalists can praise, criticize, comment and advise where necessary, without undermining the ethics of the profession and tasked journalists to be conscious of their sacred responsibility of shaping people’s orientation and social order, being the conscience of the society.
Pastor Eno however, urged media practitioners to be cautious in breaking news to avoid breaking the fabrics of the society.
In his words, “I want to plead that you use the media, to engender a new template of reportage, one that is developmental-oriented, where our leaders are called to account without being overly obtrusive. No one desire a plaint media that act like the cheer-leaders to the government, but in trying to break the news, we should be careful not to break the fabric of the society. You need the nation first in order to freely practice your profession.
“Permit me to say that the growth of any society is predicated on how such a society is being defined, its national ethos, characteristics, identity and defining values. If there is the constant drib-drib of negative reportage, where the challenges of the process of our nation-building are overly magnified and our symbols of authority, randomly demonized and our potentials routinely talked down on, in spite of how large such a market may be, foreign investors will be wary of coming to such a volatile environment.” He stated.
The governor described the theme of the conference, “Stimulating Economic Growth, Technological Advancement: Role of the Media“ as apt and timely to to address some concerned issues in media practice and professionalism.
He acknowledged and thanked the media for the support given him so far since his assumption of office and carefully rolled out his achievements in various key sectors including education, agriculture, rural development, aviation, security advancement, among others
In their remarks, Chairman of the Conference and Founder of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka and the President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba thanked Governor Umo Eno for the hospitality extended to members of the guild who trooped in from across the country for the 19th annual conference.
The 19th All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC which was declared open by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, ended on Friday November 17, 2023 at the Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo.
