A group, Association Of Digital Media Core Advocates has called for a unified synergy between Anambra State government and media organizations to eradicate fake news and enhanced reportage of the numerous programmes, initiatives and goals of the present administration of Governor Willie Obiano, especially towards achieving the greater Anambra dreams.
The association National President, Comrade Harris Chuma, who made the call on Friday, during a media parley held in Awka, with the theme; The Role Of Media In Good Governance” stated that the essence of the media parley was for journalists to find time out of their busy schedules to appraise government performance in the state through useful contributions and suggestions that could aid government decisions and resolutions according to the ethics of the profession.
Comrade Chuma explained that from the opinions and standpoints of journalists at the roundtable, he was not proud of the existing relationship between journalists and the Anambra State Government.
He, therefore, advised that it was of paramount importance that the government of Chief Willie Obiano bridged the communication gap and get closer to journalists in the state to give them a sense of belonging in the governance process of the state.
He, however, believes that the government cannot operate in isolation, that there is need for government to have a romance with journalists as well as maintain cordial relations with the media even as he admonished government media handlers to become more proactive in effective information management to enable the government to succeed.
On the issue of junk information and falsehoods in the social media, Comrade Harris Chuma noted that there was an urgent need for aggressive campaigns to educate citizen journalists to verify the information before posting it online to avoid capricious and destructive propaganda, stressing that there was need for social media influencers to practice within acceptable standards.
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Also, the chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists Anambra State Council, Comrade Emma Ifesinachi, thanked the Association Of Digital Media Core Advocates for providing a platform to assess good governance in Anambra state.
Ifesinachi, however, observed that the state governor has excelled in security, agriculture and has equally brought governance closer to the people but expressed worry that the state government is far away from the media.
He maintained that the media was a critical sector in any democracy but stated that it was rather unfortunate that the government was miles away from the media.
The NUJ chairman, therefore, called for synergy between the Anambra State Government and the media especially as it concerns reporting government policies and programmes. He also urged journalists to abide by the tenets of professionalism and ethical conduct in the discharge of their duties.
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