In furtherance of its checks and balances role in the society, the Nigerian media have been tasked to set a generally acceptable performance index to gauge the performance of government at all levels, in the provision of basic amenities and infrastructure to the citizens.
This was part of the resolutions by the Nigerian Guild of Editors at its conference in Katsina State, recently, as the body believes that such performance index will enable the media industry to adequately monitor which governments are performing well in relation to revenues.
In a communique signed by its president, Femi Adesina, and general secretary, Isaac Ighure, the guild noted that editors had great role to play in promoting national discourse towards strengthening national unity, peace, harmony as well as political, social, economic growth and prosperity.
After exhaustive deliberations on all the papers and other issues affecting the profession, the media and the nation, the guild further pleaded with the “Nigerian editors to continue to promote the nation’s fledgling democracy and help in enthroning good governance in our country. Editors should continue to promote free and fair elections, which are key to the promotion and sustenance of democratic culture in the society through vigorous dissemination of information to the citizens.”
The Guild urged members of the profession to adhere to the code of journalism ethics in the discharge of their responsibilities, while advocating for a code of conduct for the media in covering the 2015 general elections.
More than 250 editors from both the print and electronic media, who attended the conference with the theme “Credible Elections and Good Governance: Role of the Editor, called on politicians to shun offensive speeches, unguarded utterances, name calling, and other anti-social behaviours while using the media to canvass for public support.
