2023 Polls: NITDA, NUJ Urge Journalists To Shun Fake  News In Their Stories

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As issue of fake news continues unabated in the society, the Director General (DG), of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdulahi, has advised Journalists in Nigeria  against publishing fake news while reporting the 2023 general polls.

Declaring open a digital journalism and fact-checking workshop organised by NITDA in conjunction with  the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and PRNigeria in Enugu yesterday, Abdulahi, noted that as professionals, Journalists must always avoid such unverified reports capable of causing tension and misinforming the masses.

The NITDA boss, who spoke through  Mrs Hadiza Umar, Head of Communication and External Affairs in the Organization,  explained that  the workshop was designed to reawaken journalists on the dangers of fake news, especially before, during and after elections.

He said: “The Theme of this workshop: “Imperatives of Digital news Verifications for 2023 Election,” is apt considering that the 2023 election is fast approaching.

According to him, “Fake news can mar the forthcoming election, journalists must always try to verify their news before publishing.

In his remark, National  President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, disclosed that the workshop was a continuation of nationwide capacity engagements spanning 20 states.

He said “This is in view of the moment of electioneering ahead of the elections, adding that organizers of the workshop  considered it imperative to engage strategic stakeholders participating in the elections.

The NUJ leader in the country  said that journalists must maintain high level of professional

ethics in the discharge of their duties, especially in the electioneering period.

Isiguzo, thefore, charged  journalists to always think about the integrity and peaceful co-existence of the country above other considerations.

“Journalists should be guided by national interest in their reportage. The media must understand that we operate in a condition where we need to pull our people out of ignorance, poverty and squalor,” he said.

The NUJ president described fake news as one of the greatest threats to democracy, adding that the NUJ was currently making efforts to rewrite the ethics for journalists.

“This has become imperative in the light of the advent of social media, the NUJ president declared.

Our Correspondent reports that the workshop attended by Journalists in Enugu from various media organizations, also featured several paper presentations.