Press Freedom Day: Buhari Tasks Media To Be Sensitive To Nigeria’s Situation

Hamilton Nwosa
Writer
President Buhari’s 2022 Easter Message

Ad

Unknown Facts About Olufemi Oluyede, Waidi Shaibu, Other New Security Chiefs

By Abiola Olawale ​President Bola Tinubu's recent shake-up of the security architecture, which saw the appointment of General Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Major-General Waidi Shaibu as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), has dominated headlines. While their appointments signal a major shift in the nation's security strategy, many…

Tinubu Hails Nigeria’s Exit from FATF Grey List

By Abiola Olawale President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has hailed Nigeria’s formal removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring. This is as the President hailed the development as a "major milestone" and a "strategic victory" for the nation's financial integrity. ​The New Diplomat reports that FATF, a global financial…

Trump’s Sanctions Light a Fire Under Oil Prices

Oil markets roared back to life after Trump’s sanctions on Russia’s top oil producers sent prices surging. Trump’s sanctions on Russia’s top oil firms have cut short the past weeks’ downward pricing movement, with stories of record high crude on water, flattening backwardation curves and weakening Chinese SPR purchases now all put on the back…

Ad

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday tasked journalists on the need to be sensitive and responsible in discharging their duties regarding the current situation of Nigeria.

Buhari urged the media against encouraging incendiary words and actions that would divide the country.

This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the President’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, to mark the World Press Freedom Day.

While celebrating the World Press Freedom Day, an annual celebration marked every May 3rd, Buhari, in the statement, commended the media in the country, while urging them to use the freedom of press being enjoyed in the country to provide reliable information.

The World Press Freedom Day, marked every May 3rd, acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.

Buhari, in the statement, reiterated that his administration is committed to freedom of the press.

The statement reads, “The media must be sensitive to what we are going through as a country, and anything that would exacerbate the situation, and further inflame passions and emotions, should be avoided.”

“The media needs to ensure that while informing, educating, entertaining and setting agenda for public discourse, it does not encourage incendiary words and actions that could further hurt our unity in diversity.

“Licentious freedom, the President says, is different from freedom with responsibility, and charges the Nigerian media to embrace the latter, rather than the former.

“He charges those who manage information for government to do everything in the public interest, while also encouraging the media to use the Freedom of Information Act available to make its jobs easier.

“The President submits that it is very vital to have access to reliable information in an era of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, all to cause discord in society.”

Ad

X whatsapp