From Abdulfatah Babatunde
President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, charged Nigerian Editors to tackle the menace of fake news, using fact-checking and responsible reportage to rescue the nation from the throes of fake news.
Tinubu gave the charge while opening the 19th All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) on Wednesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
TheNewsZenith reports that Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, represented the President.
The theme of this year’s edition of ANEC is “Stimulating Economic Growth, Technology: Role of the Media”.
Tinubu also tasked editors to operate within the framework of ethics of journalism with utmost sense of duty and patriotism.
He lamented that the nation “is overwhelmed with issues of fake news, misinformation and outright false narratives”.
These are threatening the fabric of the society, noting that the menace required a collective effort to combat the menace.
President Tinubu assured the media of a free press under his administration.
“Let me restate the commitment of our administration to a free and robust media without any intention to stifle press freedom.
“But we will expect you to operate within the framework of the ethics of journalism and to conduct your activities with utmost sense of duty, patriotism and growth.
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“We are faced with the proliferation of misinformation, disinformation and false narratives, which threaten the fabric of our society. It is our collective duty to combat this menace.
“Through fact-fact checking, responsible reporting, promoting media and digital literacy, we can fortify our defenses against the corrosive effects of fake news,” the President said.
Host Governor Cautions Against Rush for Breaking News
Earlier, Gov. Bassey Eno of Akwa Ibom State also urged editors to engender a new template of reporting, away from the rush to break news.
“While trying to break the news, don’t break the fabric of the society. We need the society,” the governor said.
He urged journalists to engender good governance in their news reportage to advance the nation’s democracy.
“I want to plead that you engender a new template of reportage, one that is development-oriented, where our leaders are called to account without being overly obtrusive.
“You need the nation first, in order to freely practice your profession,” Eno said.
The governor noted that his administration was open to constructive criticisms.
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“We will commit efforts towards driving a narrative of governance, focused on making residents reap dividends of democracy. This will build people’s trust in the government.
NGE President Laments Nation’s Battered Economy
In his welcome address, Mr Eze Anaba, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, lamented that the state of the nation’s economy is a matter of concern to many people.
“The present economic environment is leaving millions of Nigerians in poverty.
“A recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report shows damning revelations that 133 million Nigerians are poor,” Anaba said.
He, therefore, noted that all hands must be on deck to reverse the trend and improve the economic situation.
Anaba called on editors to utilise the conference as another time to recommit themselves to professional ethics and constitutional roles..
“Let’ continue to be vigilant and lose the gates of our platforms to fake news, misinformation and disinformation.
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