By Segun Adegboyega
The Kogi State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has been urged to uphold professionalism, objectivity, accuracy, and fairness in its reportage while supporting efforts to strengthen the nation’s economy and democratic institutions.
The Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, spoke at the grand finale of the NUJ Kogi State Council Press Week, held on Wednesday at the Press Centre, Lokoja, the state capital.
The Press Week, themed “Professional and Ethical Standards in Election Reporting: The Journalist as a Guardian of Democracy,” provided an opportunity to reflect on the responsibilities of journalists in promoting credible elections and strengthening democratic governance.
Governor Ododo, represented by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Femi Fanwo, cautioned journalists against biased and sensational reporting, stressing the need for responsible journalism that promotes national development and supports free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections in 2027.
He noted that the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were designed to expand prosperity across the country, citing the approval of an international airport and an economic city in Ajaokuta as examples of initiatives expected to stimulate economic growth in Kogi State.
The governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to repositioning and strengthening state-owned media organisations to enable them to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
“We are committed to repositioning, reinvigorating and re-engineering all of our media houses in the state. The Executive Council has just approved the complete overhaul of the Radio Kogi House. We will fix it. This is to create an enabling environment for them to discharge their responsibilities to the state,” he stated.
He commended journalists in the state for their cooperation, objectivity and commitment to the ethics of the profession, while urging them to prioritise their health and wellbeing.
Governor Ododo further disclosed that more than 45 additional journalists in the state had been enrolled in the health insurance scheme.
In his keynote address, the guest speaker, Alhaji Dahiru Mojeed, who was represented by the Technical Assistant to the Ministry of Information and Communications, Mr Ebenezer Adurodija, described the theme of the Press Week as timely, noting that democracy does not weaken only when elections are cancelled but also when citizens can no longer distinguish truth from falsehood, facts from propaganda, and information from manipulation.
He explained that citizens could make meaningful electoral choices only when they had access to accurate, credible and balanced information, describing journalists as a vital bridge between political power and public interest.
Alhaji Mojeed urged journalists to prioritise accuracy over speed and integrity over personal gain, emphasising that the media remained indispensable to democratic governance.
Similarly, the NUJ National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahya Abdul, called on journalists to uphold the principles of accuracy, fairness, balance, impartiality and accountability in their reportage, particularly as the country prepares for another election cycle.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the NUJ Kogi State Council described this year’s Press Week as a period of stocktaking, reflection, thanksgiving, service and celebration.
He appreciated Governor Ododo for his consistent support for the union and sustained collaboration with journalists in the state.
The chairman also expressed profound gratitude to Hon. Kingsley Femi Fanwo for serving as a bridge between the government and the media, assuring that the union would continue to promote objective, constructive and responsible journalism in the discharge of its duties.
