International Press Council (IPC)trains 26 Journalists in Kogi state ahead of November 11 Governorship election.
By Aisha Audu
Journalist are drawn from the state ministry of Information and other media Houses across the State a take part in the training.
Speaking on the topic “Reporting election: Ensuring Ethical, Conflict_Sensitive Coverage in the face of misinformation and disinformation ” Mr.Hamza Idris, Editor, Daily Trust urged journalist to be conscious of mis information and disinformation as any mistake in reporting an event can mislead the public.
According to him, distorting the fact may not affect the public alone but can also destroys the image of the media House responsible for such news.
He further advised journalist to always verify the source of their story and to be objective in reporting an event.
The Executive Director, International Press Council, Lanre Arogundade in his opening remark on encouraged journalists to give voices to wide range of interest in the forthcoming November Governorship Election in the State especially to those candidates who are not popular.
Arogudade said the Media training is to critically examine the Media to be able to interface rightly in reporting fair and balanced reportage of activities for the public to make informed judgement.
He also points out that the training for the media is aimed at ensuring a credible and peaceful conduct of the Kogi State Governorship Election, while urging the media to make their agenda setting role, take a lead role in mobilizing electorate towards participating actively in the forthcoming November Governorship Election.
The Executive Director charged the media to be accountable to public scrutiny, bring professionalism and objectivity to bear in the discharge of their duties, pointing out that the public needs to be informed on what to do during the election.
He called on the media to hold INEC accountable to deliver on credible Kogi election, charged the media to be balanced in their coverage and reportage.
The Executive Director admonished journalists to document all necessary information about the Kogi Governorship Election including all the dramas for post election purposes.
Mufiliat Fijabi, Nigerian Women Trust Fund,represented by Vaneza Gregory, NWTF EU Project Coordinator who spoke on ” Gender Issue and prospective in reporting”‘said ignoring the issue of gender is like ignoring the largest part of the society.
Fijabi encourages practioners to make issues of gender inclusivity an editorial perspectives, with the initiative to encourage women in politics particularly towards making them take active part in the forthcoming November governorship election in Kogi State.
She tasked Professionals to promote inclusivity as a core values, pointing out that the need to challenge traditional norms and biases, breakdown barriers that limits women participation of women in politics.
The media practitioners were tasked to understand gender dynamics in reporting, avoid gender specific language and focused on policies and qualifications of women rather than to dwell on languages that affect women inclusivity in politics negatively.
The practitioners were asked to be fair and respectful in reporting issues of gender by being sensitive to gender based violence and to report issues that will breakdown barriers for women.
Mr. Taiwo Obe ,founder , Journalist Clinic who spoke on the ” Impactful Reporting of Election and the coverage of election using digital tools”” said journalist should always give the public the right information in order for them to make better decisions in the society.
He encourages journalist to learn how to use most of the digital tools used for coverage to make their work easy.
The two day training which took place at Treasure Suites,66 first Avenue, central Business District, Abuja was organised by (European Union) EU support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU SDGN 11) Component 4: support to Nigeria – Phase 2 Project.
