Lai Mohammed, the minister of information has blamed media partisans for the misunderstanding between the populace and government in Nigeria.
Mohammed spoke at the plenary session of the second day of the 27th edition of the Nigerian Economic Summit on Tuesday, October 26.
Speaking on the sub-theme, ‘The four estate: Holding power accountable’ said that the Nigerian government is more worried about media bullying than otherwise believed.
“Morally, the media should be neutral in their reports,” he said.
The minister appealed to the media to tread with caution when reporting certain things, especially when the government is fighting wars.
“We need the support of the media, but that does not mean the media should not hold the government accountable. Hold us accountable when we are doing the wrong things,” he stated.
Read also: Media has key role in tackling Nigeria’s insecurity – NCC boss
Mohammed revealed that the federal government did not at any time say it is banning social media rather it is regulating.
“There is a need for journalists to get acquainted with what is obtainable before holding the government accountable,” he argued.
He, however, faulted the media for undermining their watchdog roles. He wondered how a media house that awards governors and other political office holders special awards can be able to criticize activities of such personnel when they go wrong.
Tokunbo Afikuyomi, the editor at Stears Business in his speech reiterated that holding the government accountable which is the fundamental duty of the media should not be confused with public relations of the media.
He pointed out that the worrying fact is that many Nigerians care too much about politics than they do about governance. This, he said, reflects the trust they have in the government.
“Research shows there is 63 percent trust lack between the government and the government,” he said.
The minister said the trust deficit between the government and the citizenry is a global phenomenon. He promised that the federal government will intensify its efforts in engaging the people.
