The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has congratulated all Nigerian journalists on the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day 2016.
Undoubtedly, Nigeria is one of the countries in Africa and indeed the World, where the press is relatively free: the Freedom of information Act lays credence to this.
Although there are certain grey areas that still need to be addressed in the area of press freedom in Nigeria, NAWOJ however, wishes to admonish Nigerian journalists to exercise their freedom with responsibility.
It is imperative the journalists draw the line between press freedom and rascality: it is important that we engage more in development journalism rather than journalism of discord.
We gain nothing as journalists when we fuel feuds between politicians, we gain nothing by setting regions against each other.
However, we gain much by reporting solutions, innovations, economics, development.
NAWOJ wishes to state clearly that the call for responsibility does not intend to erode the function of the media as the 4th estate of the realm: We must continue to act as checks to all politicians and holders of government offices.
We must also be relentless in checking the government as it maintains its oath of developing Nigeria.
NAWOJ therefore calls on government at all levels to desist from all forms of clampdown on the media, the media should be given unhindered access to information.
If any government has nothing to hide, then it should not be afraid of the media and as such should not involve itself in any act that will gag the media.
In view of this, NAWOJ also calls on the National Assembly to ensure that the Frivolous Petitions Bill which has passed second reading should not be passed with any clause that will gag the media in any way.
As we commemorate today, we also remember all those journalists who have been killed in the line of duty, by their death, they paid the supreme price for many other journalists who are practicing today.
