The International Press Centre has emphasized the crucial role that the media plays in sustaining democracy on the occasion of Nigeria’s 24th anniversary. In a press statement on Monday, the Centre’s Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, urged stakeholders at all levels to recognise that democracy is impossible without media support. The statement went on to demand measures to enhance the welfare and safety of journalists across Nigeria, as well as the introduction of plans to guarantee media independence.
The Centre also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to recognise the role played by the media in Nigeria’s struggles leading up to democracy, particularly with regards to the June 12, 1993 elections. The Centre argued that the media’s importance cannot be overstated and that their role in monitoring governance and holding the government accountable is enshrined in Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution.
The International Press Centre stated that an enabling environment for the media is necessary for them to execute their duties, which include contributing to democracy and development. The Centre called for a regulatory environment that is friendly to press freedom, the amendment of laws that limit press freedom, protection of journalists from all forms of attacks, improved welfare, and adequate safeguards to ensure that journalists can carry out their work without fear of hunger and poverty.
