ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Goodluck Jonathan Foundation has challenged African governments to ensure the freedom of the press in their respective countries for the good of African societies.
The Foundation also urged journalists and media professionals to utilise information as a tool for national development and not as weapons of destruction and disintegration.
The call is contained in a statement yesterday by GJF Communications Officer, Wealth Ominabo, to commemorate the 2021 World Press Freedom Day.
The Executive Director of the Foundation, Miss Ann Iyonu, was quoted as saying that this year’s theme, ‘Information as a Public Good,’ was a call for action on the shared responsibilities between the citizenry and the government towards using information to advance justice, peace, security and development.
Iyonu maintained that journalists and other media professionals are partners in progress in their quest for peace and sustainable development.
She urged public and stakeholders to treat journalists and media practitioners with respect and dignity in the course of discharging their thier constitutional duties.
Iyonu said: “The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation( GJF) joins the rest of the world to celebrate journalists and media professionals on this year’s World Press Freedom Day.
“We renew our call for press freedom, access to information and the respect of the rights of journalists in Africa. Our continent recorded unsavoury reports of deaths of journalists, violations of their rights and media censorship by state actors.
“According to the 2021 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, there is a 13 per cent deterioration in the abuse of rights and privileges of Journalists in Africa in the last one year.
“This is one of the reasons why Africa remains the world’s most dangerous continent for journalists in 2021. Journalists and other media professionals are partners in progress in our quest for peace and sustainable development.
“They, like other professionals in our society, are patriots who deserve our support, encouragement and respect. Therefore, they should be treated with dignity and love.”
She noted that hate speech, misinformation, fake news were becoming serious threats to press freedom, justice, unity, and development, warning people against misusing digital communications and media convergence.