National News
ActionAid, Stakeholders Recommends Ways to Improve Journalism
ActionAid, Stakeholders Recommends Ways to Improve Journalism
By: Michael Mike, Abuja
ActionAid Nigeria and some stakeholders in the media industry have recommended ways to improve journalism and media practice in Nigeria.
A communique issued at the end of the National Media Virtual Roundtable on Actioning Safety and Protection of Women Journalists in Nigeria: Reflections and Recommendations organised by ActionAid Nigeria, on Tuesday, in commemoration of 2021 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, recommended among others that the police, other law enforcement agents and security agencies should be properly sensitised to understand how to accord and treat female journalists with respect and dignity.
The Roundtable which have speakers that include Ladi Bala, President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ); Oba Adeoye, Anchor and Producer with Arise News TV; Theophilus Abbah, Programme Director, Daily Trust Foundation; Omolola Oladimeji, Team Lead, Women in Media Development Initiative (WIMDI), and the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, also recommended that in mainstreaming of gender policy in the newsroom, media organisations should develop and be willing to implement robust gender inclusive policy to guide against sexual harassment and intimidation of journalists especially female journalists, insisting that the gender policy must ensure a measure of gender balance in the leadership structure of the organisations.
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Other recommendations include that there should be a formulation of legal and ethical frameworks that are designed to checkmate gender biases and discrimination against journalists, with organisations such as NUJ, NAWOJ, NGE and other allied pro-media organisations should lead this campaign with support from professional and development networks including FIDA to develop draft legislation; media owners should constantly engage journalists on hostile environment training so as to adequately prepare and minimise the exposure of journalists to risks while reporting in conflict or high hazard environments; NAWOJ and WIMDI, among others, should engage in more sensitisations and awareness campaign to encourage women journalists who come under attack to speak out; the institutions must also provide a shield for journalists who have been/or are being harassed by security operatives or in their media organisations.
Media organisations need to institute workplace policies covering the welfare of journalists, this is to include health insurance as well as active sexual harassment and abuse policies to protect journalists against sexual abuse and intimidation within the media the organisation; media organisations should be willing to support and pursue to logical conclusions cases involving journalists who are involved in any form of intimidation and harassment while carrying out their duties; and media organisations should first ensure the economic protection of the journalists working with them, and that the journalists should be properly engaged as staff, this will bolster the confidence of the journalist and make them report incidences of harassment in or outside the media organisation without fear of intimidation or reprisal attack.
The stakeholders said they have observed that harassment and impunity against journalists especially sexual harassment of female journalists will not end until perpetrators are investigated and punished; networking and solidarity building are required amongst journalists for strategic advocacy and to counter threats of violence and crimes against journalists, particularly women, towards protecting freedom of expression for all; police or security operatives’ invitation of journalists on the basis of news reports is a form of harassment, insisting there are ways to address concerns regarding published stories rather than have security agencies arrest journalists, they should write to the media organisations and provide their own side of the story; the lack of a protective policy or legal framework deters harassed or abused journalists from reporting for fear of safety.
Other observations, according to them, are that the impunity, brutality, physical and verbal assaults against journalists have continued because perpetrators rarely openly get punished; the lack of supporting structure and framework by senior female journalists in mentoring and supporting younger female journalists in the profession is a drawback in protecting and enhancing the confidence of the younger journalists to face the harsh working environment of the profession; the female journalists who suffer sexual harassment in the newsroom usually lack sufficient evidence to make their case; some also keep quiet about such abuses for fear of losing their jobs especially if the harassment is from a senior member of the organisation; there still exist within some media organisations issues of lack of inclusion of female journalists in covering certain assignments considered to be for male colleagues; female journalists are still viewed from the lenses of gender while assigning beats to cover and issues of cyber bullying of journalists on the basis of their report is also seen to be increasing in Nigeria.
ActionAid, Stakeholders Recommends Ways to Improve Journalism
National News
VP Shettima Departs Abuja For Dakar To Represent President Tinubu At Senegal’s 65th Independence Anniversary
VP Shettima Departs Abuja For Dakar To Represent President Tinubu At Senegal’s 65th Independence Anniversary
By: Our Reporter
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has departed Abuja for Dakar, Senegal, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the country’s 65th Independence Day Anniversary celebrations.
Senegal celebrates its Independence Day on April 4 each year, commemorating its freedom from French colonial rule in 1960. The day is marked by national pride, with ceremonies, parades and cultural events.
The Vice President’s attendance at the annual event is in honour of an invitation extended to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, following the strong mutual relationship between Nigeria and Senegal.
The independence Day celebrations will be held at the Place de la Nation in Dakar, with President Faye playing host to Vice President Shettima and other distinguished guests from across Africa and beyond.
The Vice President is expected to return to Nigeria tomorrow after the one-day event.
VP Shettima Departs Abuja For Dakar To Represent President Tinubu At Senegal’s 65th Independence Anniversary
President Tinubu Laying Foundation For A Better Nigeria, Says Hajiya Nana Shettima
- Tasks Nigerians on constructive criticism of government actions, policies
By: Our Reporter
Wife of Nigeria’s Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, has scored the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu very high, saying the President is building a better Nigeria for Nigerians through his laudable economic policies, various empowerment initiatives and investments in key sectors of the economy.
And to help the President secure a better future for all Nigerians, the VP’s wife also encouraged the citizens not to relent in giving very useful advice to the government, urging them to be more constructive in their criticism of the administration instead of just attacking for political reasons.
Hajiya Nana Shettima spoke on Wednesday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, during the annual Ramadan feast, which had in attendance women groups and students
Emphasizing the determination of the Tinubu administration to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come, she said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is baking a new cake for us that are alive today, and for the Nigerian children and grandchildren that are coming behind us. It is who he is ably supported by our lovely First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.”
Hajiya Nana Shettima noted that the President means well for the people of Borno State as well as Nigerians in all parts of the country, even as she urged the citizens to always pray for President Tinubu and members of his cabinet.
“I can tell you that he (the President) means well, not only for Borno people but for the entire nation. We should not forget him and his subordinates in our prayers,” she added.
She further commended the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her contributions towards actualizing the agenda of the administration, especially through the Renewed Hope Initiative which she said has impacted many lives, including women, children and people with disabilities.
Also speaking at the event, the Director General of Maryam Babangida Centre for Women Development, Abuja, Dr Asabe Bashir, admonished women and the people of Borno State to imbibe the teachings of the just concluded Ramadan.
She also sought the people’s support and prayers for President Tinubu, thanking the President for picking his deputy from Borno State.
She said, “I always reiterate the importance of prayer because without prayers we can do nothing in life. We have just come out of Ramadan; let us imbibe that culture and lessons we received during the 29-day fast. We need to continue with the spiritual reflection.
“We should thank God and President Bola Tinubu for remembering the people of Borno State again by bringing the seat of the Vice President, not just to the North-East region but to Borno State after Ambassador Babagana Kingibe was elected along with the late Chief MKO Abiola so many years ago.
“We must continue to pray for the administration of President Bola Tinubu because if it succeeds, we succeed,” Dr Bashir added.
On his part, the Speaker, Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Tijjani Abubakar, thanked President Tinubu for his support to Nigerian youths through various youth empowerment initiatives.
Also, Dr Martins Ekunke, who spoke on behalf the South-South, Yoruba and Igbo communities residing in Borno State, commended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for galvanizing support for people living with HIV/AIDS through her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative.
Among those that attended the annual Sallah feast hosted by Hajiya Shettima, were the wife of the Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Hajiya Maryam Lawan; wife of the Deputy Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Hajiya Laure Musa-Askira; female Commissioners and political appointees.
Also in attendance were women groups, members of the Borno State chapter of the Nationals Association of Nigerian Students, as well as the leaders of South-South, Igbo and Yoruba communities residing in Borno State, among others.
President Tinubu Laying Foundation For A Better Nigeria, Says Hajiya Nana Shettima
UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala
By: Michael Mike
The National Headquarters of University of Ilorin Alumni Association has lauded President Bola Tinubu for appointing three of its members into various leadership positions in the country.
Those appointed were Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs Kemi Nandap,, whose tenure was elongated till December 2026, Non Executive Director of NNPC, representing North Central, Mr Babs Omotowa- and the Pioneer Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin-Ekiti, Prof. James A. Aribisala.
In a congratulatory message to the trio, the National President, Prof. AbdulRasaq Kilani, and the National Secretary, Dr Barakat Raji, said the Association received the news of the appointments with excitement.
The Alumni, who commended President Tinubu for selecting the best for their various positions, assured him that the three alumni would not disappoint him in attaining the goals set for them to achieve.
While felicitating with the appointed members on their well-deserved appointment, the Association charged them to always show the excellence in them in surpassing the targets set for them by Mr President.
The Association who extolled the pedigrees of the appointed members in their various fields, implored them to live up to the expectations of the slogan of the institutions “better by far” in all ramifications.
The Alumni then prayed for their successful tenure and tasked them not to hesitate to reach out to them whenever their services are needed in any capacity towards national development.
UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala
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