Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu
Dogara, has said that though the nation has experienced about two
decades of civil rule, some are yet to come to terms with the reality of
the pivotal role of the legislature in a democracy.
This, he stated in Kaduna Saturday, at a retreat organized for members of the House of Representatives press corps.
Dogara,
while giving his address, also highlighted certain factors responsible
for the seemingly insufficient understanding of the roles and duties of
the legislature, such as the long period of military rule.
“Almost
two decades after Nigeria returned to civil rule, it still appears that
we are still having a hangover of military rule as some are yet to come
to terms with the reality of the pivotal place and role of the
legislature in a democracy. We urge the media to help in sensitizing
Nigerians on the powers, functions, and responsibilities of the
legislature in democracy,” the Speaker argued.
He urged the media
to partner with the National Assembly in order to correct the situation
and called on media practitioners to imbibe values such as objectivity
and constructive criticism.
“The legislature is the institution
that represents and protects democracy without which we will have a
dictatorship. Thus, the mass media should partner with us to deepen
democracy, check abuses in government and enthrone rule of law and
transparency in our polity. In doing this, we don’t expect you to sing
our praises but give us fair, balanced reportage and constructive
criticism of our activities.”
“Objectivity should be the soul of
the business of the press, especially when reporting the Legislature. It
is important that the happenings and events in the Legislature are
properly reported to avoid public backlash that could cause discontent
and misunderstanding of the intents of the Legislature at any given
situation.”
While making reference to the impact made by the CNN
expose on the Libyan slave trade to highlight the importance of
investigative journalism, Hon Dogara assured that the House is committed
to strengthening liberties such as freedom of speech and expression.
“We
are ever committed to providing legislative support and framework that
will enhance freedom of speech and expression as provided for in the
1999 Constitution. This informed the reason for the passage of the
Freedom of Information Act in 2011.”
The Speaker further restated
the commitment of the House to providing a conducive environment for
members of the press corps and expressed appreciation for their efforts
towards deepening democracy and good governance.
He also called on
proprietors of media organisations to pay salaries of their staff
promptly saying, “it is the only ethical and proper thing to do. Yes,
you are watchdogs of the society. That also places a huge burden on you
to act in an exemplary manner”.
The retreat was organised by the
House Committee on Media and Publicity, the Policy and Advocacy Centre
(PLAC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
Dogara surmised that the National Assembly is committed to protecting and enhancing press freedom within the country.
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