The Nigeria Union of Journalists has urged Journalists to observe ethical codes of the profession in their reportage as the world celebrates this year’s World Press Freedom Day.
Chris Isiguzo, the NUJ President, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja said the WPFD was a day to reflect on the enhancement of professionalism in practice.
The theme of this year’s celebration is: “Journalism without Fear or Favour.”
Isiguzo said: “It is the celebration of the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
“We enjoin journalists on this auspicious occasion of the 2020 World Press Freedom Day, to work assiduously towards promoting ethical journalism without fear and without any favour.
“However, we continue to note with disdain the issue of safety and security of Journalists in the country which have not significantly improved but rather continued to impact negatively on good journalism.
“However, we salute Nigerian Journalists for their courage and professionalism and call on them to sustain and improve on their professional calling.”
The NUJ President said no democracy could grow and flourish without a vibrant independent media that would be a catalyst for good governance and rule of law.
Isiguzo said: “It is in this regard that today, we celebrate Nigerian Journalists for promoting independent journalism practice despite myriad of challenges.
“This year, the NUJ joins the rest of the world in observing the day to focus on taking action to secure independent journalism which is one of the fundamental principles of the Windhoek Declaration.”
Windhoek Declaration is a statement of press freedom principles by African newspaper journalists in 1991.
The Declaration was produced at a UNESCO seminar: “Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press,” held in Windhoek, Namibia.
The date of the Declaration’s adoption, May 3, has subsequently been declared as World Press Freedom Day.