The united nations general Assembly declared may 3 to be world press freedom Day or world press specifically to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments/society of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression, which is also one of the fundamental human rights as enshrined under the article 19 of the 1948 universal Declaration of human rights and marking the anniversary of the windhock Declaration, a statement of free principles put together by African Newspaper journalists in windhock in 1991.
AS a journalist, my freedom of expressions is my ability to function well in my profession without fear of being sanctioned, jailed, insulted, killed, for being fair to my clarion obligations and truthful to my profession.
The subjection of journalists in some major parts of country to the fear of writing with favoritism is quite outrageous, as journalist no longer write as the color is white, rather try to turn to a semi white is a “NO to the principles of journalism and ethics .
A journalist should be fair while writing and reporting . Accuracy and transparency are principles that must be upheld in the line of duty. This is sine-qua-non with a view to enthroning fairness, justice and development.
Overtime, so many journalists have lost their lives or molested in the line of their duty, trying to sift out facts so as to not to misinform the public weather a news or entertainment . sometimes deaths are swept under the carpet to avoid public condemnation and exposition of the truth.
More worrisome, is the place of female practitioners .Reports have it that most female journalists have been molested, manhandled and abused for requesting to know the validity of some intense issues of discourse from those directly involved or concern.
On the part of journalists, they should always ensure transparency, fairness, truthfulness, objectivity and patriotism in the cause especially while investigating an issue.
Therefore as we celebrate this year’s world press freedom day, i urge the government to devise means of protecting journalists from undue abuse, oppression, harassments of all kinds, and ensure that freedom of information law is adhered to the latter by every public office holder.
in the same vain i call on journalists to abide by ethics, ethos and principles so as to not to lose integrity from the public.
-Akumadu Sharonlucy
NewsTrack Nigeria (newstrack.com.ng)
