President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday urged media practitioners to be sensitive in carrying out their duties and avoid reports that can further worsen the situation the country is going through.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President made the call in his message to mark the World Press Freedom Day observed globally every May 3.
The statement was titled ‘President Buhari urges ‘responsible journalism’ on World Press Freedom Day.’
Adesina said the President recommitted to freedom of the press and urged media professionals to wield freedom responsibly, and without licentiousness.
According to him, the President noted that freedom of the press is an irreducible minimum in a democracy that would flourish, adding that freedom must, however, be used responsibly.
He quoted Buhari as saying that, “That everything is permitted does not mean that there are no rules of correctness, particularly in a polity seriously challenged as ours now.
“The media must be sensitive to what we are going through as a country, and anything that would exacerbate the situation, and further inflame passions and emotions, should be avoided.
“The media needs to ensure that while informing, educating, entertaining and setting agenda for public discourse, it does not encourage incendiary words and actions that could further hurt our unity in diversity.”
Adesina added that the President said licentious freedom was different from freedom with responsibility, and charged the Nigerian media to embrace the latter, rather than the former.
The statement added, “On the part of government, President Buhari pledges greater cooperation with the media to discharge its duties, in line with the theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day, ‘Information as a Public Good.’
“He charges those who manage information for government to do everything in public interest, while also encouraging the media to use the Freedom of Information Act available to make its jobs easier.
“The President submits that it is very vital to have access to reliable information in an era of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, all to cause discord in society.”
