The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof Dora Akunyili has tasked the media on highlighting the positive aspects of Nigeria in order to reposition the image of the country.

Prof Akunyili gave the challenge while declaring open the 6th Nigerian Guild of Editors Conference in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

The Information Minister said the mass media must join in the effort to rebrand Nigeria, stressing that as gatekeepers in the media industry, editors are expected to display transparency and high level of accountability in checking the contents of their newspapers.

She lauded the media for championing the cause of democracy and good governance in the country, recalling that Nigeria’s independence from colonial masters was also  won by the mass media.

For the media to sustain the tempo, she called on the editors to engage in thorough self scrutiny as to meet up the developmental challenge in the country.

With the 2011 election fast approaching, Prof Akunyili tasked the media executives to rise up to the challenge by ensuring that the elections were free and fair.

In his remarks, Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi said the theme of the conference  was timely considering the fact that the post  amnesty poses a lot of challenges for media practitioners who are expected to check the contents of what they publish.

Amaechi said the situation in the Niger Delta is far from what many newspaper publish, hence the need for the editors to have a first had information of the situation.

He stated that the situation in the Niger Delta was peculiar and needs special attention to ameliorate the anguish of the people which arose from oil and gas exploration.

The president, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Gbenga Adefaye had earlier stated that the theme of the conference: “oil and gas, post amnesty and the Nigeria editor”, was timely as oil contributes to about 90 per cent of the country’s revenue.

Following the reforms initiated by President Jonathan, towards sustaining the post-amnesty programme editors and journalists he noted must exhibit transparency, accountability and consideration for the people and the environment as well.

The NGE president remarked that the country should emulate global best practices in the oil sector, adding , “ the way United States has treated the spill in Gulf Mexico should attract Nigeria’s attention.

Adefaye lauded the Rivers State Government, NDDC the secretary to the Government of the federation and other corporate bodies for ensuring the success of the conference.

In a related development, Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has called on the media to be accountable to the public in the reportage of events and activities in society.

Amaechi stated this yesterday in his keynote address to the Sixth All Nigerian Editors Conference in Port Harcourt which has as its theme: Oil and Gas, Post-Amnesty and the Nigerian Editor.

He pledged support for the Information Bill as long as it has a provision for criminal libel against a media practitioner that deliberately publishes what is incorrect.

The governor, who highlighted the many advantages of an accountable media culture, urged media practitioners to be accountable to the public through factual reportage of events, emphasizing that it was the same way elected officers could be held accountable to the people that elected them.

He remarked that Nigeria stands on the threshold of history towards the 2011 elections and charged the media to play its agenda setting role through their editorials in the various media organizations.

The governor explained that political parties  must be prepared to show the electorate what they have done to seek for election, stressing that votes should count, for politicians to be more responsible.

The State Chief Executive noted that God has blessed Nigeria with natural resources in various parts of the country and enjoined the Nigerian Guild of Editors to push for fiscal federalism as a way of enhancing the development of the nation.

According to him, “oil and gas seems to have crippled the inherent but readily available mental capacity of our nation to engage itself fully with the lure of easy petro-dollar”, noting that the discovery of oil has ushered in misery to the Niger Delta people even as the federal government has not done any project in the state for the past 20 years.

Amaechi, who highlighted his efforts in the establishment of the social rehabilitation institute to reform misguided youths, said federal government need to move fast in its Post Amnesty Programme to enable ex-militants reintegrate into society.

Speaking, the Minister of Information and Communications, Prof Dora Akunyili urged the Nigerian Guild of Editors to celebrate Nigeria as part of efforts of rebranding the country .   

She said time has come for the editors to believe in themselves and highlight some positive things that are happening in Nigeria in their publications.

On her part, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari thanked the Nigerian Guild of Editors for choosing Port Harcourt for their conference, and enjoined them to thank Governor Chibuike Amaechi for picking one of their members to serve in the State Executive Council.

The President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Gbenga Adefaye described the conference as an opportunity to refocus as elections are approaching, adding that editors need to put public policies on the agenda while politicians play their game.

Amaechi, who also conducted the delegates round some projects executed by the State Government, had earlier received the Nigerian Guild of Editors on a courtesy call at Government House, Port Harcourt where he charged them to be responsible in the discharge of their duties to the society.

Felix Okogbule