By Victor Ahiuma-Young

FEW days ago, stakeholders in the media industry gathered in Lagos at one-day roundtable on “Working and Welfare Situation of Journalists in Nigeria.”

Organized by the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, FES,  in Lagos, the one-day stakeholders forum was attended by leaders and representatives of media unions and associations, media regulatory bodies, media support groups and Editors.

At the end of the programme, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), binding prominent media stakeholders to work in partnership for improved conditions of service for journalists and media workers in Nigeria were agreed upon.
The  MOU was ratified by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); the Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers’ Union (RATTAWU); the National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW); the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE); the Nigeria Press Council (NPC) and the International Press Centre (IPC).

A statement by Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade, said objectives of the partnership include: “Providing a platform for stronger advocacy and solidarity on measures for the improvement of the working and welfare conditions of journalists in both the private and public sectors.

Collaborating on all legitimate measures that would lead to the emergence of collective bargaining and the enthronement of a minimum condition of service with country-wide application. Popularising and widely disseminating the NUJ Standard Conditions of Service for Journalists. Serving as an information sharing network on best practices regionally and internationally to aid the advancement of the professional, trade union and human rights of journalists.

Collaborating on measures that would guarantee compliance with and the enforcement of ethical and professional standards in the Nigerian Media. Serving as a monitoring and protection network on attacks on the fundamental and human rights of journalists and media workers in Nigeria. Collaborating on measures towards strengthening the  capacity of the professional bodies of journalists and media workers such as the NUJ, NGE, RATTAWU and NUPPPPROW. Collaborating on the enactment of laws that would strengthen the capacity of the media to fulfil its constitutional obligation of monitoring governance and holding the government accountable to the people such as the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill.”

The statement added that, the participants expressed the hope that the MOU would serve as a useful tool and mechanism to check the prevailing culture of indifference to journalists’ and media workers’ welfare as characterized by irregular or non-payment of wages.

They  observed that current wages in the media industry are quite poor judging by national, regional and international labour standards, and  noted that “journalists and media workers deserve improved living and working conditions given the hazardous nature of their work and their monumental contributions to the enthronement of democratic rule and practice in the Country”

Minister calls for investment in Media

Speakers at the roundtable included  Minister of State for Information and Communication, Mr. Labaran Maku,  Head of Industrial Relations of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Owei Lakemfa , the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Mohammed Garba; the Assistant Secretary of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Steve Ayorinde; the Executive Secretary of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Mr. Osita Nweke; the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Press Council, Mr. Bayo Atoyebi and Country Representative of FES, Mr. Thomas Mattig.

Addressing participants, Mr. Maku called for massive investment in the media, arguing that  “no investment in the media can succeed without proper investment in the welfare and development of media professionals and workers”.
He advised  IPC to collaborate with media practitioners, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Press Council and training school to instill strict observance of professional standards and ethics in the media..

FES lament poor conditions of  Nigerian Journalists

Speaking, Resident Representative of FES in Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Mattig, said no independent reporting was possible without minimum of material and social protection, since journalists would be vulnerable to intimidation, bribery and control.

According to him: “The relevance of the media in democracy is undisputed. Media freedom is a fundamental political freedom based on the right to free speech. The media sets the stage for public discussion, and undertakes to be a watchdog of government action.

But media freedom is a fragile good, and journalists are particularly exposed to threats. They operate at the frontlines of a battle for political power that is often waged with deadly weapons. Censorship, ften harassment and imprisonment of journalists and political control of news outlets are some of the most often cited dangers to a free media.”