CEMESO, IPC task journalists on social responsibility

Ahead of September 21, 2024 Edo State gubernatorial elections, Executive Directors Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Akin Akingbulu, and International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre Arogundade have stressed the need for journalists to be socially responsible in the coverage and reportage of events.

Speaking at a recent media engagement held in Edo State, Akingbulu urged members of the fourth estate of the realm to fulfill their duty in providing professional coverage and voter education.

He also stressed importance of understanding the local electoral landscape and consistent engagement to ensure citizens are well-informed and prepared to participate in the election.

Saying the people of Edo State, along with other democratic stakeholders, are eager for a free, fair and credible election, he further encouraged media professionals to contribute positively to this process by promoting peaceful conduct, preventing malpractices, and ensuring the participation of all citizen groups.

On his part, Arogundade highlighted the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage, which outlines guidelines for equitable representation, professionalism, social responsibility, and ethical conduct.

To him, “the code emphasises accurate and impartial voter education, dissemination of information in indigenous languages, and clear identification of political advertisements.’

He underscored the media’s responsibility to uphold highest standards of ethics and professionalism in voter, civic education and election coverage.

Akingbulu also disclosed the event is part of the European Union Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Phase II Project, which aims to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic processes by enhancing the media’s role in providing fair, accurate, and inclusive electoral coverage.

He explained CEMESO, in collaboration with the IPC, is working to improve the professionalism of media practitioners.

This, he said, includes building capacity to tackle misinformation and disinformation, diversifying civic and voter education and ensuring inclusive electoral coverage, particularly for women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Earlier, Programme Manager CEMESO, Timothy Bamidele, stated that the project’s media support focuses on enhancing the professionalism of media practitioners.

The initiative, he noted, addresses misinformation and disinformation, promotes effective civic and voter education, encourages the use of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, and fosters inclusivity in the electoral process, with particular attention to women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

In their goodwill messages, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Festus Alenkhe and the state Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Adesuwa Ehimuan, described the training as timely and acknowledged the challenges faced by the media, such as the need for neutrality and the potential for misinformation and disinformation.

They emphasised the importance of training media professionals to address these challenges ahead of the election.