Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has appealed for the support of Nigerian Editors in publishing the progress being recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
He said such support was necessary considering the effect of the new media in fueling misinformation through the spread of fake news and other negative reports that often caused confusion, disaffection and disunity.
Osinbajo made the appeal Saturday at the 2019 Biennial Convention of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, in Lagos. He was represented at the event by his spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande.
However, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State commended the NGE, for supporting his administration, saying that about 80 per cent of reportage of Lagos State Government in the last four years was indeed very positive.
He said that the joy of reading the administration’s accomplishments in prints and electronic media has encouraged his government to strive to do more to satisfy the needs of the people of the state and urged the editors to extend such support to the incoming governor of the state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Osinbajo charged the NGE to take back the media space by permeating the online media practice with traditional and professional competence and also challenge the wrongs in the industry.
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He harped on the need for editors to evolve strategies to retrieve the media space which has been infiltrated by unethical practices with the entrance of the social media to the profession, stressing that editors should develop strategies that would keep journalism in its place as the digital media appeared to be moving away from the newsroom to the clouds.
The Vice President pointed out that the role of newspaper was gradually being taken over as the print media continued in its pursuit of traffic rather than accuracy, noting that inaccurate news will make media practice to lose its appeal.
But Ambode who was represented by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan said his administration had learnt a lot from the editors’ informed commentaries reflecting deep concern about the need for solution to problems such as uninterrupted electricity, efficient transportation, affordable housing and ease of doing business.
He saidsaid, “What we have witnessed in Lagos in the past four years particularly the commissioning of transformational projects in recent times bear testimony to the fact that your criticisms and suggestions have contributed to our quality service delivery in the state.
“I appeal that the guild continues to see stables and titles as stakeholders whose social responsibility to actualize the vision of greater Lagos State will be taken to the next level by my successor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the incoming governor of Lagos State. I want to appreciate the choice of Lagos as the venue for this conference; it is a vote of confidence on Lagos as a safe and secure city.”
