The Rivers Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ has marked the world press freedom day in Port Harcourt with a call on government at all levels to allow the flow of information to journalists without reservation.
Addressing a cross section of journalists at the Rivers Council of Journalists Secretariat Complex Moscow Road, Port Harcourt during the world press freedom day celebration the chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Ayo Tamuno urged the public, security agencies to encourage journalists who are saddled with the responsibility of informing the society to perform their duties without hindrance.
According to him, “the authorities should see us as friends, not enemies because a journalist is a voice to everybody in the society”.
The NUJ chairman who uses the occasion to appeal to the civil populace not to attack journalists who are performing their lawful duties in every forum stressing that the job of the journalists is service to the society.
In his speech, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Tam George while congratulating journalists in Rivers State urged them to chart a new life in the Rivers Council of the NUJ.
According to him, the journey to press freedom will be a mirage if those at the information do not have the Freedom of Information Act that would allow them perform their duties effectively “As a journalists our duty is sacred and we have to do it perfectly,” he said.
Dr. Tam George who was represented by Comr. Pastor Pualinus Nsirim advised the media practitioners to avoid blackmailing others, not to go contrary to the law of the profession rather should work in line with the ethics and law of the profession.
In his speech the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Sampson Fiberesima the General Manager Radio Rivers who expressed gratitude to the Rivers Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists for given him the opportunity to chair the ceremony noted that press freedom is gear towards sober reflection of some journalists who died in active service.
According to him, some journalists were attacked in their service to the society. He further stressed that the world press freedom day serves as a means for the government at all levels to recognize the importance of journalists in the society and to encourage them do their job effectively.
He enjoined journalists in the state to uphold the tenets of journalism and perform their duties objectively. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
