Ownership Interference: Save Journalists, Stakeholders tell Media Regulatory Agencies

Stakeholders in the media industry in Nigeria have charged media regulatory agencies in the country live up to their responsibilities by protecting journalists from ownership interference and ensure their compliance with ethics as a means of guaranteeing quality and independent reporting of Constitution review process.

* Labaran Maku

This was part of recommendations contained in a communiqué issued at end of a two- day National Media Conference on Advancing the Role of the Media in the Constitution Review Process organised by the UNDP, Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) Project, in collaboration with the Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ) and International Press Centre (IPC), held at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, between 10 and 11 July 2012.

The event was attended by about 120 participants made up of journalists across media organizations, political parties, women groups and civil society organizations.
 
The National Assembly was urged to, "in the interest of the public, seriously consider all the memoranda submitted to the Constitution Review Committee, with a view to meeting the yearning and aspirations of Nigerians.

"Since the process of reviewing the constitution is as important as the content, the National Assembly should put in place strategies that will ensure the participation of majority of Nigerians in the review process and claim ownership of the outcome", the communiqué read.

READ THE FULL TEXT BELOW:

COMMUNIQUE

Communiqué issued at the end of a Two- Day National Media Conference on Advancing the Role of the Media in the Constitution Review Process organised by the UNDP Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) Project in collaboration with the Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ) and International Press Centre (IPC), held at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, on 10th-11th July 2012.

I.                  Introduction

A two-day National Media Conference with the theme, Advancing the role of the media in the Constitution Review Process  took place at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, on 10th-11th July 2012, The conference was organised by Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) project of the UNDP in collaboration with Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and International Press Centre (IPC),  on the above theme. The DGD Project is a joint donor funded electoral cycle project with the overall objective of deepening democracy in Nigeria. The project is funded by the European Union (EU), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA) and UNDP.

The overall objective of the Conference was to reinforce the role of the media in promoting public awareness and active citizen participation in the review of the 1999 Constitution.

The specific objectives include:

·        Mobilize the media on information dissemination and civic education in the Constitution Review process and devise strategies for effective media engagement

·        Raise citizen awareness and participation in the constitution reform process through public and private media engagement and;

·        Advocate for increased constitutional recognition for press freedom, access to information and media independence.

II.               Opening formalities

In attendance at the opening ceremony of the conference were the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu,  the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, the European Union Ambassador in Nigeria, represented by Mr. Alan Munday, the Representative of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Mr. David Ross, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Daouda Toure, the Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mr Bolaji Adebiyi, the DGD Project  Director, Dr. Mourtada Deme, the Pioneer Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Dr. Tom Adaba and Chief Executives of national media houses. Some goodwill messages were received, while Dr. Tom Adaba delivered a Keynote Address on The Nigerian Constitution and the future of Democracy.

III.           Participation

About 120 participants made up of journalists across media organizations, political parties, women groups and civil society organizations participated at the conference.



IV.           PRESENTATIONS

Four papers were delivered at the plenary sessions as follows Review of the 1999 Constitution: Imperatives and the Journey So Far, by Mr. Clement Nwankwo; Citizens Engagement in the Constitution Review Process, by Dr. Otive Igbuzor; Strategies for Effective Media Reporting of Issues in the Constitutional Review Process, by Dr. Sylvester Odion-Akhaine;, and Using the New Media in the Popularization of the Constitution Review, by Mr. Qasim Akinreti. There were also presentations by the representatives of INEC, Political Parties, women and media groups and Civil Society. Each presentation was subjected to lead and general discussions, debate and comments, with recommendations.

The Conference had break-out sessions on three critical dimensions to the envisaged media engagement namely: critical issues deserving media focus and setting of public agenda, challenges in reporting constitution review and identifying stakeholders and proposing strategy for their engagement..



V.               Observations

After exhaustive deliberations on the presentations and the break out sessions, participants at the conference  made the following observations:

1.     The constitution review exercise is a welcome development, because it is in line with public yearning to have a truly citizen-driven Constitution that Nigerians can claim ownership of. The review of the constitution should provide opportunity to entrench desired reforms.

2.     The National Assembly and the Executive Arm should be commended for setting in motion a review process that aims to accommodate a wide spectrum of issues that Nigerians want addressed and amended in the constitution.

3.     The media has a critical role to play by informing and educating Nigerians on the constitution review process in order to set a public agenda as well as ensuring that the process is transparent, participatory and inclusive.

4.     The review process is being conducted in English thereby disenfranchising the non-literate and citizens wishing to express themselves in local languages. This suggests a mainly elite-driven process to the disadvantage of most Nigerians.

5.     The government and its respective agencies, as well as the National Assembly, are not doing enough to sensitize and involve Nigerians in the amendment process, whereas the eventual document will have binding powers over them.

6.    There is the need for Civil Society to engage with the Clerk and Secretary of the Review Committee to ensure that the key areas in the various memoranda submitted are given adequate attention and consideration.

7.     The media cannot perform the Constitutional roles of being the societal watchdog effectively because the functions are not justiciable and journalists do not have any specific protection against the many hazards they face in the course of performing these roles.

8.     Inspite of the fact that the 1999  Constitution  affirms gender equality, there are certain provisions that discriminate against the women in terms of nationality and indigeneship

VI.           Recommendations

At the conclusion of the deliberations the Conference resolved as follows:

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

1.     The National Assembly should, in the interest of the public, seriously consider all the memoranda submitted to the Constitution Review Committee, with a view to meeting the yearning and aspirations of Nigerians.

2.     Since the process of reviewing the constitution is as important as the content, the National Assembly should put in place strategies that will ensure the participation of majority of Nigerians in the review process and claim ownership of the outcome.

3.     The Constitution review process demands popular participation and citizens’ engagement; the National Assembly should therefore hold very wide consultations with all stakeholders; conduct town hall hearings and hold consultative meetings with professional groups and other key groups like women, youths, people living with disability, faith-based organizations, etc.

THE MEDIA

4.     The mass media should play a very active and positive role in informing and educating the citizens on the review process from the beginning to the end. It should closely monitor the process and publish/broadcast reports that will ensure the eventual product is in tandem with the debates and contributions of the people and not the result of the manipulation of a few.

5.     The media should act independently to perform its watch dog functions by first having adequate knowledge of the issues that citizens want amended in the constitution and engage the relevant stakeholders in the process.

6.     The media should make the Constitution Review Committee and the process accountable and transparent so that the populace can have confidence in the amendments and feel satisfied with the funds expended on the process.

7.     The media should work closely with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in all the States and Local Government Areas to educate and mobilize the rural populace for effective participation in the review process.

8.     The media should focus on key issues being raised in the review process and give them deserved attention as a way of keeping the populace informed and helping them to make informed contributions.

9.     New and social media should be used to expand the scope of communication on the review process and increase the level of public participation. As such, journalists should build their capacity to use ICTs.

10.                         Journalists should be conversant with the rights of the physically challenged persons and work towards ensuring that the amendments take adequate care of their peculiar needs.

11.                         An e-forum where journalists, including those present at the conference, will partake in online discussions and contribute to the review of the Constitution should be urgently established.

12.                         Journalists should utilize the Freedom of Information Act to obtain information that will aid their effective reporting of the review process.

THE MEDIA REGULATORY BODIES

13.                         Media Regulatory Agencies should live up to their responsibilities by protecting journalists from ownership interference and ensure their compliance with ethics as a means of guaranteeing quality and independent reporting of the review process

THE MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY

14.                        The media and civil society groups should collaborate and build a formidable synergy in sensitizing and mobilizing the citizens as well as engaging the legislative arm to ensure that the final document is derived from a participatory and inclusive process.

15.                        The Constitution should be made to guarantee the freedom of the press and journalists’ right to non-disclosure of sources of their information.

16.                        Gender should be mainstreamed into the Constitution in line with the “Women and Media” Beijing platform for Action

17.                        The participation of the rural populace in governance cannot be achieved without ensuring their knowledge of the Constitution; Government should therefore not only make the Constitution available to them but also publish it in local languages in consonance with international best practices.

VII.        Conclusion

The Conference concluded that the media has a central role to play in the enlightenment and mobilization of the citizens for the success of the review exercise and should therefore pursue the effort relentlessly.

Participants thanked the organizers for deeming it fit to organize the Conference and promised to do their best in achieving the objectives of the review.

VIII.    Adoption

Mallam Abdullahi Aliyu Yar’Adua of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Katsina Council, moved the motion for the adoption of the Communiqué, while Mrs. Titi Abubu of the Development Exchange Centre, Bauchi, seconded the motion. It was then unanimously accepted by all participants.

Members of the Communiqué Drafting Committee

Dr Akeem Sola Adeyanju, – Chairman

Mr. Sanmi Falobi – Member

Mr., Gbemiga Bamidele, Assistant National Secretary 1, NUJ – Member

Mr. Ayoade Longe, Media Rights Agenda – Member

Mrs. Clarice Azutalam - Member

NNPC BOARD: CNPP FAULTS DEZIANI’S APPOINTMENT, SEEKS BOARD DISSOLUTION

Conference of Nigerian Political Parties has faulted the composition of the Board for Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), asking for the immediate removal of the Oil Minister, Deziani Madueke as the Board chairman.   The Conference argued that the removal of the minister as the chairman of the NNPC board has been necessitated by the recent revelation of financial malfeasance within the organization bordering on illegal grant of loans. * Willy Ezugwu   Secretary-General of the CNPP, Willy Ezugwu in a statement Tuesday in Abuja said that the way the board of the NNPC was composed suggested that the government was yet to appreciate the fears of the people that the activities of the Corporation were still largely business as usual. He explained that smacks of mal-administration in a situation where the minister who has been at the center of the oil subsidy controversies that led to a national paralysis for over a week and the NNPC under her watch indicted for complicity in the subsidy fraud rather being relived of her position could rather be rewarded with appointment as the chairman of the board of the same contaminated agency. Ezugwu argued that there was no moral justification by President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint Deziani as the head of the NNPC board not even after the former Group Managing Director was unceremoniously removed on account of same sleazy for which the minister has been accused of.  “From all indication, it appears the Petroleum Minister is fronting for some interest in the presidency. How could the NNPC under her watch could have been indicted heavily for illegal deduction from the national excess crude account, illegal operation of foreign account and dubious allocation of fuel importation for subsidy payment and now the revelation in the audit report alleging improper loans running into hundreds of million of dollar. “If there are no vested interests, the Minister should have been shown the way out of the ministry. With all these revelations from the probes and the audit report, there is no justification for keeping the Minister in office. “Also, if you look at the NNPC board membership, you will see that nothing has changed and no difference would be made to the operations of the Corporation. Imaging the husband of one of the Minister’s Special Advisers is a member of the board, the entire board revolves round same clique that has not made Nigerians to benefit from the effective and efficient functioning of the Corporation”, he stated. Ezugwu noted that it would be preposterous to appoint the Petroleum Minister to head a board that should moderate the activities of a corporate under her Ministry, “what that means is that she is the all in all as far as NNPC activities are concerned. This is certainly not in the national interest.” The CNPP boss therefore called on President Goodluck Jonathan to do the needful by putting the national interest above any other parochial one and disband the board and reconstitute it with Nigerians of impeccable character. “Using the NNPC board membership for political patronage would not the nation any good. And it is high time the President move against the cabal in the oil industry so that the Nigeria will not go back to square one. “Already, we have heard that the Presidency lacks the gut to try all those indicted in the House of Representatives subsidy probe Panel, and the situation on ground is gradually pointing to that direction. It will be the greatest disservice to the nation if all the subsidy thieves are allowed to go scot free after stealing billions of Naira while Nigerians are finding it increasingly hard everyday to make ends meet.” The CNPP Secretary General warned that the Conference would consult with other civil society groups including the Anti-Corruption Network to mount campaign for the removal of the petroleum minister just it would also and consult the anti-corruption agencies for probe of her roles in the various shaddy deals uncovered in the NNPC and her ministry.

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Court warns INEC on deregistration of parties

 Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Lagos Tuesday warned the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) over an alleged plan to deregister some political parties, restraining the commission from carrying out the excise until the legality or otherwise of the move was determined by the court.

Justice Abang issued the order while ruling on an application by the National Conscience Party for an injunction restraining INEC from taking the step pending the determination of its suit challenging the agency’s powers to deregister parties.
Also joined in the suit as defendants are the National Assembly and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
At Tuesday’s hearing, only the National Assembly was represented by a lawyer, Abayomi Apata.
The judge, who refused to grant the injunction, said it was clear that the respondents had been served with the processes on July 6 and that it would require seven days for it to be ripe for hearing.
He warned that the court would nullify any action taken by INEC in contravention of the reliefs sought in the party’s motion.
He adjourned the suit till July 16 for hearing by a vacation judge due to the urgency attached to the matter.

Empower women with ICT skills, says IPC

As the world marks telecommunication and information society day, the International Press Centre, IPC, Lagos, Nigeria, has joined global voices to call for the greater empowerment of Nigerian women with ICT skills.  * Mr. Lanre Arogundade A statement signed by the organization’s Programme Officer, Stella Nwofia, to mark the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD), quotes the Director, Lanre Arogundade saying, women as prime drivers of social change have critical role to play in national development noting that empowering girls and women with improved ICT knowledge will greatly advance this cause. The WTISD is marked every May 17 to raise awareness about the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as ways to bridge the digital divide. Speaking on the year 2012 theme, ‘women and girls in ICT’, Arogundade said although women and young girls are quite active on the social media scene, they need better orientation to use ICTs to enhance their work and studies. Mr. Arogundade also noted that there is wide disparity in ICT usage between urban based women and girls and their counterparts in the rural areas.  According to him, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) responsible for Women Affairs, Information and Communication, Science and Technology, Youth and Social Development etc. need to address these critical issues in order to realize the full potential of Nigerian women and girls in the ICT field. Mr. Arogundade said one way of doing this is to ensure greater recognition and reward for women and girls who innovatively use ICTs to promote change and advance societal development.

ANOTHER PRONACO, OTHERS SOVEREIGN CONFERENCE UNDERWAY

Political Leaders of thought across Nigeria's six geo political zones may have concluded plans to convene a another peoples’ national conference, independent of government, to prevent military intervention and chaos in the country

*OKUNNIYI

This was disclosed on Sunday in Lagos by Mr. Olawale Okunniyi, Spokesperson for the pro national conference advocates in Nigeria, while reacting to the heightening tension in Nigeria and the non committal on national political consensus expressed by government in the media in the last three weeks

The veteran political organizer also revealed that government may not be able to stop a peoples’ driven national confab to be initiated by the coalition of forces advocating for an independent peoples’ national conference by mid-year as the window given to government to make up its mind closes by June

Okunniyi, a close confidant of the former Leader of the Pro National Conference Organization, PRONACO, late Chief Anthony Enahoro, and the Secretary of the Prof Ben Nwabueze led Project Nigeria – National Consensus Group, said a special document calling for the participation of the building blocks of the Nigerian federation at the proposed confab is already being prepared by sponsors of the conference

He also disclosed that some of the main working documents for the proposed independent peoples’ national conference, which is likely to run for one year would be the 1999 constitution, the PRONACO’s Draft Peoples’ Constitution among others such as the model Constitutions of the Patriots, the Citizens’ Forum for Constitutional Reforms and the United Action for Democracy

“Constitution making is a special activity reserved for a constituent assembly of a country in every decent clime. It is irresponsible and shameful for Nigeria to continue to run a democracy without a consensus document but on a decree tagged 1999 constitution foisted by the military on May 29, 1999 after elections have already been conducted” Okunniyi stated

The PRONACO Chief also informed that the military due to the exigency of the time strongly advised the incoming civilian regime to ensure that the transitional anomaly was corrected by convening a proper constituent assembly immediately they assume power.

“But alas! 13 years after, our civilian opportunists are yet to rectify this foundational problem of our democracy but preferring to continue to amend the subsisting military decree not minding the unprecedented bloodletting and killings in the country incited by the unpopular constitutional structure inflicted on the Nigerian peoples” Okunniyi lamented

He however stated that “If the national assembly is truly concerned about the unprecedented loss of lives in the country, it can urgently invoke section 9 of the same 1999 constitution to; either enact a law or amend that same section of the constitution for the purpose of a giving legal backing to the convention of a constituent assembly of the Nigerian peoples, which normally should have been done at the outset or advent of the current democracy but skipped by the military”

Okunniyi said the proposed national confab promises to be more elaborate, inclusive and decisive than the one organized between 2005 and 2006 under the auspices of PRONACO as more stakeholders have already signed on, following the various consultations and national dialogue put together in recent times by Project Nigeria and the National Summit Group.