- But Backs Media Regulation.. As Print Media Launches Campaign Against NPC, NBC Act Amendments
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila on Monday, averred that he would not support any Bill that seeks to gag the Nigerian press with draconian regulations.
Gbajabiamila, who spoke with House of Representatives Press Corps, was reacting to the hangover from media backlash against the controversial Nigerian Press Council (NPC) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act Amendment Bills before the National Assembly.
Most newspapers in the country had on Monday featured an advertorial on their cover pages, calling on citizens to themselves own the campaign against what they described as looming “information blackout” in Nigeria, should the ammendment to the two Acts scale through.
Sponsored by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the advertorial reads “Information blackout – this is what the federal government wants to achieve with the NPC and NBC (Media) Act amendment bills,” adding “It’s not just against the media…it’s about society’s right to know, your right to be heard.”
The NPC Amendment Bill sponsored by Olusegun Odebunmi, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values seeks to amend the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Act Cap N128, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1992.
Reacting to the proposed amendment, Gbajabiamila, who was critical of absolute freedom to the press, held on to government’s position on regulating the media, even as he attempted to express his opposition to proponents of press gagging in the country.
“I will not be part of any Bill that will gag the press. No Bill will come to the floor of the House that will seek to gag the press.
“The press is supposed to be the voice of the people. I hold strongly the view that there should be press freedom”, Gbajabiamila stated, adding that “For once, I will never allow laws that will stop freedom of the press.”
He continued: “Some just jumped in the bandwagon without even knowing the details. I called the proponent of the Bill to tell me what is really going on. I haven’t read it in detail, but I will read it in couple of days.
“I came to understand that this is not even the issue, but that they don’t even want the NPC Bill. They said they don’t want to be regulated.”
The Speaker while explaining his position said the executive, judiciary and legislative arms of government were being regulated, but claimed he had observed that the press was shying away from regulation.
“We cannot allow people to go on without being regulated, then what is the essence of government?
“There is a difference between regulation and gagging. Let’s not confuse the two. I don’t know why the press will say, we are independent body, we don’t want to be regulated,” he told reporters.
Gbajabiamila added that a research into international best practices to look at the press in other countries had been commissioned, assuring that every aspect of the Bill will be considered to guarantee the autonomy of the press in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the proposed amendment to the NPC bill has drawn deluge of condemnations as many Nigerians, including journalists and CSOs have accused the Nigerian government of planning to clamp down on freedom of information.
A look through the proposed amendment reveals that the Minister of Information will derive more powers to control the conduct of print media houses and media practitioners from the proposed amendment.
Section 3 (c) of the amendment bill says: “with the approval of the minister in charge of information, establish and disseminate a national Press Code and standards to guide conduct of print media, related media and media practitioners.”
The minister will also approve penalties and fines against violation of the Press Code by print media houses and media practitioners, including revocation of license.
Also, the bill contains punitive measures for media outlets and journalists that act otherwise to the provisions in the proposed amendment.
“When an offence under this section has been committed by an individual or a body corporate, such a person (s) or body corporate shall be deemed guilty of an offence and liable to be prosecuted against and be punished accordingly,” Section 3 of the amendment stated.
The bill further mandates media houses to be members of the press council or be liable to “conviction or to a fine of five million naira or a term of three years imprisonment or both and to an additional fine of twenty thousand naira for every day the offence continues.”
In his reaction, Executive Director, Media Career Development Network and a former Managing Editor with The Nation, Mr Lekan Otufodunrin said: “Nobody is saying you should not amend a law if it will advance democracy or to accommodate technology but provisions that do not promote press freedom are not democratic.”
