By Zailani Mustapha The Kaduna Young Journalists Association extends its felicitations to journalists on the 2024 International ...
By Zailani Mustapha
The Kaduna Young Journalists Association extends its felicitations to journalists on the 2024 International Press Freedom Day, with the theme "A Press For The Planet: Journalism in the face of Environmental Crisis".
Nuhu Basheer Masa, the President of the Association, made these statements to commemorate this year's World Press Freedom Day in Kaduna.
He emphasized the importance of protecting the rights of journalists in Kaduna state and beyond, stressing the need for professionalization of the journalism occupation to restore its dwindling glory.
He further advocated for the establishment of a National Journalism Trust Fund (NJTF) to enhance a free press, promote media independence, and pave the way for national growth, progress, and sustainable development.
Masa highlighted the significance of building a network of highly competitive young journalists for national growth and development while safeguarding their rights, welfare, and knowledge base through continuous capacity building.
He emphasized the importance of centralizing networks to facilitate collaboration and partnership among journalists for the greater good.
Masa also stressed the need for continuous training in risk analysis and threat mitigation, first aid, secure communication, conflict-sensitive journalism, media laws, and code of conduct, among others.
He noted that the International Press Freedom Day comes amidst incessant cases of banditry, kidnappings, inflation, and terrorism in Nigeria and other parts of the world, such as the Sudan crises, Gaza, Palestine, etc.
Masa suggested that there should be an agreement between governments at all levels and media owners to ensure journalists' safety.
He underscored the importance of journalists' safety, stating that it is the ability for journalists and media professionals to receive, produce, and share information without facing physical or moral threats.
Media reports have revealed that since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, at least 19 journalists have been killed, mostly in questionable circumstances.
Masa lamented that journalists around the world are increasingly being targeted, intimidated, harassed, and killed for their work, emphasizing that journalism is not a crime.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna Young Journalists Association has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to ensure that all privately owned media organizations within Kaduna and beyond pay journalists their monthly salaries.
"Just like every responsible person, journalists also have to pay children's school fees, house rent, and other basic needs. The aforementioned unions should intervene to prevent journalists from resorting to behaving like street beggars", the statement said.
"Broadcast houses mostly recruit unprofessional personnel and provide them with ID cards to fend for themselves as licensed beggars. To prevent such practices, there is a need for broadcast houses, especially privately owned ones, to stop recruiting quacks in media organizations".
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