Use your role for national unity, cohesion, not anarchy, FG urges media houses

Chris Ngige, Labour Minister

AS the 2019 general elections are fast approaching, the Federal Government, on Friday, called on media houses nationwide to intensify on its role in enlightening Nigerians on the need for national unity and cohesion through tolerance and eschewing of ethno-centrifugal tendencies capable of precipitating into anarchy and chaos.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige gave this advice at the 40th anniversary of Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (Rattawu) with the theme: “Rattawu @ 40, Media and Cultural Sectors as Tools for National Transformation, Cohesion and Good Governance,” held at Cyprian Ekwensi Cultural Centre, Abuja.

He said all hands must be on deck to uphold the common destiny and shared values as a people, saying unity and peaceful co-existence are central to any meaningful national development.

Dr Ngige, whose message was delivered by Mr. Godsin Ogbuji, therefore, commended the union for being resilient, pragmatic, understanding and patriotic in the last 40 years in pursuance of its quest to secure better working conditions and increased wages for its members.

In his remarks, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was represented by the director, National Press Council (NPC), Mrs. Stella Onabola, urged the union to use its strategic position in the media and broadcast industry to join hands with the Federal Government to curb the menace of fake news and hate speeches in Nigeria.

This, according to him, was in line with the resolve to curb this menace that the ministry recently launched the National Campaign against fake news and hate speeches.

“Rattawu, as a partner in progress, should, as a matter of necessity, support this administration in its herculean task of instilling discipline, transparency, accountability and patriotism amongst Nigerians.

“It is important that the union is particularly concerned about the notorious prominence of fake news in the public space. This is not good for anyone. The reason is that fake news destroys and deforms the norms and values that our society has upheld over the years.” He added.

Earlier, the National President of Rattawu, Comrade Kabir Garba Tsanni lamented that poverty and insecurity were the greatest threats to the Nigerian workers, as workers in the country were unsecured not just from lack of insurance packages that should be palliatives in times of danger.

“The Nigerian workers live in perpetual fear of attacks: be it armed banditry, kidnapping, Boko Haram or herdsmen orgy of violence. These atrocities have claimed the lives of thousands of workers, including egg heads such as professors.

“As a nation, we must consciously interrogate those who present themselves for leadership. We must ask the right questions in order to know what exactly they want to do and how they want to do it. Our failure to do this has compromised us to a position that every election year is seen as an opportunity of the political elites to tell us what they want to do.” He added.

Comrade Garba, therefore, called on government, to as a matter of urgency, address the security challenges in the country, saying the bloodletting was simply unacceptable and compromises what gave the state legitimacy, which is protection of lives and property.