The Cross River State Government strongly condemns the persecution of responsible journalists by repressive governments worldwide, which often leads to the imprisonment and even death of genuine media practitioners. We call for complete restraint in such actions.
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2024, the Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang, emphasized that the government, under the ‘People First’ administration of Governor Bassey Edet Otu, is committed to engaging with the media and other stakeholders to protect freedom of expression and combat misinformation.
This year’s theme, “A Press for the Planet: Protecting Journalists and Scientists in Defense of the Environment,” highlights the crucial role of a free press in promoting the protection of journalists while ensuring environmental preservation.
“A proactive Press remains the bedrock for any democratic society. Effective information dissemination helps people to engage meaningfully in the political, socio-economic and civic spheres of their Communities, State, Nations, and the larger world.
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“It also behooves on practitioners to act responsibly in their reportage towards environmental protection.
“Government hereby restate her pledge to ensure the continued existence of a free independent press in our dear State so that every Journalist can operate without fear of molestation, while also noting the alarming effects of the present day digital revolutions in the Media sector that is virtually altering the information terrain and its modalities of production and distribution, he averred.
In his remarks, Chief Press Secretary to Cross River State Governor, Nsa Gill, urged journalists to think more about how to keep abreast with professional ethics.
“For me, I believe this government is very transparent, we are not censoring any reportage. One of the things this government is doing is promoting trust. This government is conscious of the deficit of trust across the world. We need to promote developmental journalism,” he said.
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE