The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos in partnership with Media Right agenda (MRA), has organised a two-day media training workshop aimed at using the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act for Investigative Reports on Campaign Finance and Covid-19 Accountability Issues.
The workshop brought together 27 female and male journalists from the print, broadcast and online media, including investigative reporters, political reporters, state house correspondents and editors from public and private media outlets in Nigeria.
In a communique issued at the end of the two-day workshop held recently in Abuja, signed and made available by the IPC Programme Manager, Mrs Stella Nwofia to the Tide, it states that the workshop aimed at sharpening the investigative skills of participants in their reporting through the use of more effective use of the FoI Act as a tool to facilitate transparent, free, fair and credible elections as well as monitoring government response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its utilization of funds.
In their separate presentations on the topics: ‘Understanding the Key Features of the FoI Act, 2011’ by the Executive Director, MRA’s, Mr Edetaen Ojo and ‘The Role of the Media in Ensuring Good Governance and Government Accountability’, by the Executive Director of IPC, Lanre Arogundade, they emphasised on the need for journalists to be properly guided by the provisions of the FoI as well as relevant electoral laws including the Constitution and other extant laws and frameworks when carrying out investigative reporting.
The Tide reports that, following the presentations, discussions and brainstorming sessions, participants made the following recommendations:
“Journalists should actively use investigative tools and instruments, such as the FOI Act in reporting on political party finances and, where possible, invoke the FOI Act to ensure transparency and accountability, as well as full respect for human rights”, adhere to the provisions of applicable instruments such as the Electoral Act, the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and the Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists and uphold the principles of fair access to the media for political parties and candidates, accuracy and balanced coverage in their reporting, especially in political and election matters.
“ Journalists should dig deep into the data published by Federal and State agencies and ensure that all receipts and expenditures of funds relating to Covid-19 are fully transparent and explained”.
“Journalists should accord priority to professional self-development and avail themselves of all opportunities for funding for further journalism studies and fellowships around the world. In addition, journalists should network and partner with bodies that fund researches and writing of investigative stories on sundry development and electoral issues”.
Journalists should endeavour to give greater prominence to women voices and marginalized group as important news sources and also focus on how they are impacted by government policies, programmes and actions.
Participants identified story ideas that they will investigate and follow up on, both individually and collaboratively, and agreed to set up a platform to facilitate the sharing of further ideas and experiences as well as to foster collaboration, especially in carrying out investigations.
Highlights of the workshop was plenary sessions at which participants brainstormed on the matters arising from the presentations and came up with various story ideas on campaign finance and Covid-19 accountability issues that they will investigate using the FOI Act.
The workshop featured presentations on Understanding and Reporting Campaign Finance and Political Expenditure Frameworks and Issues, by  Mr Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director, Center for Social Justice (CSJ); Using Investigative Reporting Techniques to Monitor Compliance with Campaign Finance and Political Expenditure Regulations by Ms. Tobore Ovuorie, a freelance investigative journalist; and Deploying the FOI Act and Other Investigative Tools/Methodologies in Reporting  Covid-19 Funds in the Public Interest, by Dr Abiodun Adeniyi, an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Mass Communications at Baze University, Abuja.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana