Media crucial in advancing effective, inclusive governance – Don-Pedro

The roles of the media in engendering working and inclusive governance were highlighted by Ibiba Don-Pedro, Executive Director/CEO, National Point, during the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) team’s visit to the Port Harcourt-based organisation on Friday, 4 August 2023, as part of activities under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusivity, and Accountability (CMEDIA). Don-Pedro thanked the MacArthur Foundation for the apt financial support when the world was recovering from Covid-19. She acknowledged the positive effect of the CMEDIA project on National Point. She said it has strengthened its independence to promote accountability and inclusive development in the Niger Delta.

According to Don-Pedro, the overall performance of journalism is affected by the politicisation of the news media. The National Point boss said the infusion of new faces in journalism operating within journalism tenets could address the dwindling fortunes in the media space. Referencing the South-South region, she identified threats to journalists, insecurity, violence, and male dominance as some media challenges in the zone.

In her contribution, Constance Meju, Managing Editor, National Point, noted the highly militarised nature of the region that makes it difficult for media organisations to operate. She appreciated the MacArthur Foundation for supporting the CMEDIA initiative of the WSCIJ that has empowered National Point to execute more reports on women, children, roads, and other subnational issues. She informed the visiting WSCIJ team about the training on investigative journalism, data-assisted journalism, gender reporting, human rights, inclusive development and accountability reporting organised for reporters, managing directors, managing editors and editors within the Niger Delta region by National Point.

While giving her feedback, Ogwezzy-Ndisika commended National Point for its resilience in working in a very hostile environment and encouraged them to explore opportunities multimedia contents provide to promote an all-inclusive coverage and reach to include Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). She tasked National Point to call out people holding the region in a chokehold through their reports and strong editorials. The CMEDIA Technical Adviser also advised the organisation to identify and train university students passionate about journalism to address the ethical decay in the media profession. She encouraged National Point staff to stay resilient despite adversities within the Niger Delta region.