The outgoing President, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Mustapha Isah, has urged government to embrace constant national dialogue to address social, economic and security challenges facing the country.Isah made the call at the opening of the 2021 NGE Biennial Convention on Monday in Kano.
According to Isah, NGE has also condemned the attacks on security agents and the destruction of security infrastructure in some parts of the country.
“Scarce national resources which would have been used to provide roads and health facilities, will now be deployed to repair the damaged facilities, including the burnt INEC offices.
“There are legitimate ways that should be deployed to express grievances, but definitely, violence is not an option,” he said.
He noted that it was the responsibility of government to secure people’s lives and property as enshrined in the constitution.
Isah tasked citizens to play their parts by supporting security agencies through the provision of credible information on the activities of criminals.
“Our 1999 constitution, which many have described as faulty, recognises the fact that the primary responsibility of government is the security of lives and property of citizens.
“The prevailing insecurity in the country is frightening, we should not pretend that all is well, too many lives have been lost,” he said.
The president said that fake news has become an epidemic worldwide and attributed the trend to the advent of social media.
“There is no gatekeepers on social media.
”According to him, citizen journalism is here with us and information dissemination has been democratised.
He advocated for the repeal of the existing Nigeria Media Law to expunge the sections which are inimical to press freedom.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference is attended by anout 300 delegates. (NAN)
