By Sarah NEGEDU
As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day, journalists in the country have been asked not to relent in discharging their duties in deepening the country’s democracy.
The director, Press, Office of the FCT Minister, Mr. Anthony Ogunleye, who gave the charge in a chat, said that journalists have the responsibility to uphold democracy.
Ogunleye also commended media practitioners in the nation’s capital for upholding the tenets of democracy, keeping government on its toes and carrying out the fundamental task of journalism, which is to entertain, educate and inform members of the society.
He noted that the FCT Administration led by Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, over the last seven and half years, has worked very closely with members of the press, and together, they have been able to achieve as much as they did towards developing the FCT.
According to him, press freedom is something that is held very much high in Nigeria, as since the return of democracy in 1999, there has been tremendous freedom of the press, without which democracy cannot thrive.
“We don’t hear of journalists been incarcerated, killed, molested, harassed or prevented from doing their job.
“Without journalists going out to do their work, to gather facts about issues concerning the society, and to also give the government the tools to make the right decision; and members of the public the knowledge they need to continue to build their society, nothing can work.
“I would like to use the opportunity to congratulate Journalists in the FCT, and commend them for the great work they are doing, not just here in the FCT, but across the country.
“I urge them to continue to do their job. And for those here in the FCTA, as we look forward to dk together and let us build the FCT of our collective dreams”, he stressed.