Press Activities in Nigeria is not totally Free- VAM Nigeria

After a thorough research of the current state of journalism practice in Nigeria, VAM have come up with the verdict that, the Members of the Nigerian Press is not totally free.

CEO VAM Nigeria who spoke on "Independent of the Press, Hindrances and Solution" at a presentation programme to mark the 17th Online Presentation and Dialogue of Today's Leaders Forum with theme: “MOMENT LIKE THIS, SITUATION LIKE THIS, IN A COUNTRY LIKE THIS” held at the Forum Online group on Tuesday 13th November, 2018, identified lack of press independent, constitutional gaps, lack of access to information and infringement on the rights of journalists as hindrances to press independent in Nigeria.

The speaker, lamented that though Nigeria has a well qualified and quality press with a reputable personality, though, it is free but not totally free as there is injustice of media businesses in Nigeria, as journalists continue to suffer arrests, closure of the media houses, attacks and even deaths in the course of discharge of their duties to the society.

"The easiest way to stifle the media is to make the business difficult.”
According to him Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution muddled up the right of the citizens to independent of expression with the right of the press to provide information which should make the media role distinct as a profession.

“You cannot give the right you are giving to the generality of Nigerians to the press. You cannot perform beyond the limit allowed by the Constitution,”
He pinpoints the US Consul General, John Bray, who identified a free press as an important component of a functioning democracy, noted that the United States strongly supports independent of the press as it believes that an unfettered press is essential for democracy to thrive.

On the issue of a Fake News, the speaker urged journalists/press to always check and right-confirm their facts before putting out a story to increase credibility and the reliability of their platform.
Comrade Tunde Bright Olorungbotemi aka One Voice
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