Ahead of the 2023 General Elections the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra state Council today held a One day Capacity Building workshop on Safety and Security Reporting for Journalists at the Godwin Ezeemo International Press Center, Awka.
The Workshop which was themed “Media Safety in Election, Challenge & Disaster Management” had in attendance Security Personnels from different parastatals.
Addressing the participants, Special Guest of Honour, Senator Victor Umeh commended the leadership of NUJ for finding it necessary to organize the training pointing out that iIt is very good to prepare for the unforseen and how to handle challenges when they come.
“It is only through training that one get better equipped to deal with challenges confronting there profession and career. Everyone is becoming conscious of the dangers in reporting and that’s why this workshop is important as we approach the general election”,
“Media practitioners are people who are exposed to occupational hazards, risk and dangers because there duty is guarded by ethics. Journalist help to form and guild public opinions and must be sure that any information they are putting out is the truth and credible”, he stated.
Speaking at the workshop, the NUJ Chairman, Dr. Emeka Odogwu stated that the essence of the capacity building is to train & re-train journalists on the right path to carry on with their reports especially as election is approaching.
Dr Odogwu noted that the training will launch Journalists back into the field with a redefined mentality on the appropriate & safer means to report events. He thereby urged all NUJ members to participate actively as members of the union to enable him lead them right.
Earlier in her address, the chairperson Training Committee, Nigeria Union Of Journalists, Anambra state Council, Ms Ekpa Ewa said the Media Safety in Election Coverage and Disaster Management training was designed to expose Journalists to rudiments of effective reportage of the electoral process.
According to her, though the media terrain is shifting, the importance of the training is undisputed in an era where there are more writers and news reporters than ever before.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Echeng Echeng, the state director, Department of State Service (DSS), Mr E.D. Pawa, heads of other security agencies in the state and veteran journalist, Mr Tony Nezieanya in their respective papers charged participants to embrace the ethics of journalism profession in the discharge of their duties.
