Reputation management and communications specialist, Dr Jossy Nkwocha has urged journalists across the country to uphold the roles assigned to them in the 1999 comstitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to engender sustainable peace and unity in the country.
Nkwocha, a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and Group Head of Corporate Communications at Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals and Fertiliser Ltd, gave the advice in his keynote speech at a two-day conference of the Association of Communications Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) holding at the Rivers State University (RSU) in patnership with UNESCO.
Nkwocha, who spoke on a topic: ‘The Role of the Mass Media in Accountable Governance and Sustainable Peace in Society’, dwelt extensively on the roles of the media in helping to bring peace to “our dear country Nigeria”.
He noted that journalists were the only professionals given a role in chapter 2 of the 1999 constitution to hold government accountable to the people.
The section of the constitution stipulates: “The press, radio television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”
Nkwocha pointed out that the constitution also stated some of the fundamental objectives that the mass media should uphold in Sections 23 and 14.
Section 23 states that “The national ethics shall be discipline, integrity, dignity of labour, social justice, religious tolerance, self-reliance and patriotism”.
Section 14, sub-section 3, which states: “The composition of Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in the Government or in any of its agencies”.
He enjoined journalits to be courageous enough to draw government attention to the fundamental objectives to reduce agitations of marginalisation and enhance peace in the country.
Nkwocha also recommended that ACSPN and UNESCO should organise workshops or seminars for journalists on crisis reporting and peace building reporting skills.
Earlier, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, who declared the conference open, spoke on the need for all Nigerians to be part of government.
President of the Association.and Vice Chacellor of. Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State, Prof Umaru Pate said the conference will come up with a communique to help build accountable governance and peace in Nigeria.