The International Press Center (IPC) recently hosted a two-day workshop in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, aimed at equipping over 40 journalists from Southeast and South-South Nigeria with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively utilize Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, Fact-checking tools in their reporting, and deepening reportage of gender issues in post-election.
The workshop was a collaboration between IPC and the European Union (EU), specifically the support/funding to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGIN).
The workshop’s theme was “Post-election reporting: using FOI Act & other investigative methodologies to report democratic governance & electoral accountability issues.”
According to the Executive Director of IPC, Lanre Arogundade, Fact-checking is regarded as a crucial aspect of journalism, as it is a process that plays a vital role in dispelling suspicions and limiting the circulation of false information in society. Stressing that it involves verifying the accuracy and reliability of information before publishing it, which helps to maintain the credibility of journalism and ensures that the public receives accurate and trustworthy news.
He explained that with the rise of social media and the internet, false information has become more prevalent, and fact-checking has become even more important in combating misinformation.
During the training session, the participants had the privilege of listening to the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda, Edetaen Ojo, who is a renowned journalist and a former editor of The Guardian Nigeria.
In his lectures, he highlighted the vital role of regular access to information and data in enhancing a journalist’s ability to meet professional standards. Edetaen Ojo emphasized the significance of staying up-to-date with the latest developments, facts, and figures to ensure that the news presented is accurate, unbiased, and informative.
He discussed the importance of ethical journalism and how access to information can help journalists uphold journalistic integrity while fulfilling their responsibility to the public.
He also highlighted how the Freedom of Information Act serves as a valuable tool for journalists interested in fact-checking and investigative reporting, as well as in holding government officials and institutions accountable.
In the aftermath of an election, gender issues tend to take a backseat in news coverage. Dr. Titilayo Remilekun Osuagwu, a lecturer in the Department of Broadcasting in the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies at the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Nigeria, believes that this trend must be reversed.
She emphasizes the importance of delving deeper into the reportage of gender issues in the post-election period. By doing so, we can gain a more complete understanding of how gender intersects with politics and governance, and work towards greater gender equality and empowerment.
She maintained that the media should be deliberate in balancing their reporting to consciously reflect the view of everyone in the society including women and girls, and also to ensure equal representation of women and men in the coverage of election beats.
The training also featured practical sessions where participating journalists were divided into groups to learn how to draft an FOI and conduct a fact check. Overall, the workshop was a resounding success as the participants found the lectures insightful and informative, and they appreciated the opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals.
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