The Nigeria Press Council (NPC) will work with the Coalition of Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) to improve the welfare of journalists and journalism practice in Nigeria.
Nnamdi Njemanze, Executive Secretary stated this during a courtesy visit to the NPC office in Abuja by members of the coalition.
Dapo Olorunyomi, publisher of Premium Times, led a delegation of the coalition comprising journalists and members of the civil society, including Oke Epia, publisher of Order PaperNG, Joshua Olufemi, Director at Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ, Stephanie Adams (PTCIJ), Richard Akinwunmi (PTCIJ), Chinedu Asadu, reporter at the thecableonline, Adeboye Adegoke (Paradigm Initiative) and Godwin Onyeacholem, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL).
Olorunyomi said the purpose of the visit was to discuss the work of the coalition and seek partnership with NPC as a major regulator in the media industry.
He said the knowledge gap that exists in the industry is reflected in poor practice and poor welfare of journalists. According to him, the underlining dynamics causing the decline in welfare and practice are not available in the broad imagination of those managing today’s media.
To that extent, Olorunyomi said the coalition would require the effective buy-in of NPC in its effort to offer those things that would help journalists provide stories that will help democracy grow. He thanked the Executive Secretary for his years of leadership and for accepting to see the team.
Olufemi also commended the Council for its prompt positive response to the coalition’s request for a courtesy visit. He gave an overview of the group’s activities over the past months and also appealed for the Council’s support for its activities including the upcoming Newsroom managers’ training scheduled for November.
Njemanze, said the Council has as one of its mandate the improvement of the work of journalists. He said, however, that funding has inhibited that critical area of intervention. Njemanze promised the Council’s support for the work of the coalition, stressing that it would work with the coalition to remove the impediments in the welfare of journalists. NPC, he assured, would never be part of any decision that would impinge on the freedom of the press.
Other members of the NPC team included Stella Jibril, Director, Research and Documentation; Lanre Mohammed, Assistant Director, Monitoring and Documentation and Victor Aladu, Assistant Director, Production.
