Abakaliki—Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State has challenged Nigerian journalists to use their position as the watch-dog of the society to ensure that the nation attains its development objectives.

He made the call yesterday in Abakaliki at a lecture organised by the Ebonyi Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, as part of its press week activities.

Elechi, represented by his Deputy, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, said that journalists should, through their daily reportage of events, ensure that the country remained stable, united and economically viable.

“A situation where journalists use their reports to cause disharmony which tends to disintegrate the country, will jeopardise all efforts being made to attain desired developmental objectives,” he added.

Elechi reminded journalists of their delicate role of preserving the nation’s democracy, especially now that the 2011 general elections were fast approaching.

He declared: “Now that political activities have begun, journalists should ensure that they report events in the political landscape of the country objectively in order not to heat up the polity.

“They should resist all attempts being made by disgruntled elements in the country to truncate our democracy, which is intended to take Nigeria back to its pariah state.”

The governor promised that his administration would continue to support journalists in the discharge of their duties, and urged all stakeholders in the Nigerian project to ensure the protection of journalists’ rights.