Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has reiterated the country’s commitment to the principles of press freedom, which he said are essential for a vibrant democracy and transparent governance.
Idris made the remarks during a courtesy visit by the US charge d’affaires to Nigeria, David Greene, at his office in Radio House, Abuja.
He said that Nigeria respects the freedom of expression and the independence of the media, and will uphold these rights as guaranteed by the constitution.
The Minister urged the United States to support efforts to improve media standards, especially fact-checking, to curb the spread of false and harmful information.
“While we are for press freedom, we also want to call on the government of the United States to support efforts at instituting best practices in the media space, particularly fact-checking mechanisms towards reducing the spate of misinformation, fake news, and mal-information,” the Minister said in an official statement.
He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s democratic values and asked for more support from the US, a key ally, for Tinubu government’s plan to overhaul the economy. The plan, called the Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to boost food security, reduce poverty, foster growth, create jobs, increase access to capital, promote social inclusion, uphold the rule of law and combat corruption.
Idris said that President Tinubu has been busy travelling to various economic events and meeting with business leaders and stakeholders to woo foreign investors. He has been to Paris for a summit on global financing, India for a G20 summit and Riyadh for a Saudi-Africa summit.
The Minister told the American envoy that President Tinubu is now in Berlin for another G20 conference, where he hopes to forge strategic partnerships to revamp the Nigerian economy.
Mr. Greene said that America supports Nigeria’s democracy and media development, and has provided regular training for journalists over the years. He also said that Nigeria is a vital ally for regional security and economic growth.
