.No press freedom, democracy sick in Nigeria, HURIWA claims

As the 2024 World Press Freedom Day holds today, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has reaffirmed that freedoms of the press, expression and access to public information are crucial to democracy, and must be at the heart of government’s values and actions.

It also stressed the key role played by journalists and practitioners in protecting the country’s democracy amid prevailing harsh economic realities.

In a statement yesterday by its President and General Secretary, Eze Anaba and Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional body also requested the National Assembly to initiate and adopt a law to protect journalists against abuses, unnecessary lawsuits and gagging.

This year’s celebration emphasised the “importance of good journalism amid the current global environmental crisis.”

Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, the global event celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom, assesses the state of press freedom worldwide, defends the media from attacks on its independence, as well as pays tributes to journalists, who lost their lives in the line of duty.

The celebration also acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It highlights the importance of a free, independent and pluralistic media in fostering transparency, accountability and democracy.

The editors noted: “In line with the theme of this year’s celebration, we believe that journalism and freedom of expression are crucial in the context of the current global environmental crisis.

“Journalism and freedom of expression help in raising public awareness about environmental issues, holding power accountable, amplifying marginalized voices, promoting transparency and accountability, fostering public debate/engagement, and providing a platform for solutions”, the editors added.

The body added that this year’s edition provides an opportunity for every stakeholder in the media community to continuously remind state and non-state actors about the importance of press freedom and challenges faced by journalists, including censorship, harassment, imprisonment and violence, and the urgent need by the government to take deliberate and sustained action to promote press freedom and good journalism in the country.

The professionals continued: “The Federal Government will fundamentally be promoting the enabling environment for media to operate responsibly if it adopts a law to protect persons, who speak out on matters of public interest against abusive lawsuits meant to silence them.

“The Federal Government should emulate the European Union and other democracies around the world, who have adopted similar laws to protect journalists and media houses against Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP suit).

“More so, there are still many obnoxious and anti-media laws in our statutory books that are targeted at journalists and media houses. The National Assembly must take immediate steps to repeal them.”

They equally urged government at all levels, international organisations, and civil society organisations to protect and promote press freedom, ensure safety and security for journalists/media houses and ensure that all restrictive laws and policies targeted at the media are expunged.
ON its part, the Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, stated that since 1999 when democracy returned, there has been no press freedom in the country, adding that its civil rule ails.

In a statement by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group argued: “There is widespread apathy towards press freedom, freedom of information requests by ministers and heads of agencies of Federal Government agencies.

“Appointees of the current President proudly threaten litigation against groups making freedom of information requests and are ready to engage Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) in their bid to escape their responsibilities to the people in the area of accountability and transparency in government.”