The Federal Government
has declared commitment of the President Buhari's administration to upholding the
freedom of the press in the country, reports ITRealms.
A public statement
issued in Abuja on Wednesday and made available to ITRealms, to mark
the World Press Freedom Day 2017, the Minister of Information and Culture,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described as inaccurate the recent survey by
Reporters Without Borders, which alleged that Nigeria's press freedom
rating has been on sustained decline since 2015.
He said despite the
inaccurate and fake news saturating the media space, the Federal
Government has not put a single journalist behind bars as a result of his
or her professional conduct.
Alhaji Mohammed said
even though there are reports that some States have been hard on some
journalists and bloggers for alleged misconduct, it has not been the
policy of this Federal Government to join issues with the media, because
of its unflinching commitment to upholding the tenets of democracy, which
include free press and freedom of speech.
He said the recent
incident involving the Punch Correspondent covering the State House is an
aberration, adding that the speed with which the order barring the
correspondent from the State House was reversed has lent credence to the
fact that this government is not out to muzzle the press.
The Minister recalled
that the accreditation of the current Chairman of the State House Press
Corps, Ubale Musa, which was withdrawn by the previous administration, was
immediately restored upon the assumption of office by the Buhari
Administration, in order to give the media unhindered access to the Seat
of Power.
He therefore pledged the
readiness to this administration to always create a conducive environment
for the media to thrive and to continue to discharge its constitutional
mandate without hindrance.
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