The Nigerian Government, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in Nigeria have promised to chart a new partnership and collaboration to improve press laws and freedom in Nigeria.
This resolve was one of the major outcomes, of a media parley organized jointly by the Norwegian and Swedish Embassies in Nigeria, in conjunction with Internews and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, CJID, to mark the International Press Freedom Day 2024 in Nigeria.
The discussion which drew attendance from the House of Representatives, an arm of the highest legislative Assembly in the country, the CSO community and the media, was hallmarked as the Government and the CSO community, agreed to work together in the future to advance press freedom and the environment under which journalists work in the country.
Hon Akintunde Rotimi, Chairman of the House of Representatives, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, double back after well expressed criticisms of CSOs approach and position on the state of press freedom in the country, that “going by what I am hearing at this discussion, there is a need for more openness and collaboration by the various committees of the House and CSOs to create the kind of laws and environment that advance press freedom.”Reacting to CSOs accusation of passing “clandestine” amendments to the Social Media Act and keeping the Act “out of the radar” from CSOs scrutiny, Hon Rotimi who refused to admit the state of press freedom was as bad as portrayed by CSOs, agreed “the process should have been more open” promising “I commit to work more closely and collaboratively with CSOs” in the future.Speaking earlier, Khadijah El-Usman, Senior Programs Officer, Paradigm Initiative had disagreed with Hon Rotimi that the House was open and collaborative while enacting the Social Media Act.
“My own experience with working with the National Assembly has not been a nice one” listing several advocacy visits to the Assembly “which yielded noting”, adding “it has been more of rebuff”.
Also speaking Bisola Ajibola, Deputy Director, Journalism Programmes, CJID, said the parlous state of press freedom in Nigeria, is not exaggerated by the CSO.
“Between 1985 and 2023 there about 1,145 verified press attacks, there are many others unreported in the hinterlands.
Even more alarming is that there have been 20 deaths over the period” Ajibola said.
In his comments, Dayo Ayetan had contended that reporting environment related issues in Nigeria is still a very dangerous venture.
He said journalists are forced to negotiate with all kinds of forces on ground in the trouble areas, like in the oil rich Niger Delta and bandits controlled North East.
“We negotiate with these warlords and community leaders on the journalist’s safety before a journalist can enter these areas, if not its dead on arrival” he said.
Opening the media parley the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Svein Baera explained why Sweden recently, at the Universal Periodic Review, recommended to the Nigerian government to strengthen freedom of the press, association, and information.
“Our efforts are intended to promote a diversified, independent media sector, ensure access to information, and protect the freedom of expression of journalists, writers, artists, and other vulnerable groups” he said.
He noted that, “human rights violations are concerning, as they underline a trend of repression in the country.
And despite promises made by leaders to strengthen Press Freedom in Nigeria, experts say it is still imperiled” he added.
In a presentation “Nigeria Media Assessment” conducted by Internews, Musa Sangarie, Regional Program Manager, West Africa, had listed 6 key challenges the assessment conducted in 2023, identified in Nigeria, included among others; regulation, security and financial difficulties.
The assessment also identified some critical needs of the media in Nigeria to support free, independent, and objective journalism.
These include digital rights, data protection, internet freedom and freedom of expression, specialized digital and physical security training among others.
Closing the media event, attended by over 50 participants, Fredrik Ahsberg, Head of Political and Trade Affairs Section, Embassy of Sweden, said press freedom, in spite of attacks on the media and existence of restricting laws has made some progress since the era of the military in government.
