New Telegraph

LCCI, media practitioners seek paths to acurate reporting

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and media practitioners, including the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), have urged government at all levels to give media the chance to independently report the true situation of things around the country’s economy and security in order to promote development. This was the position of those who spoke at the maiden edition of LCCI-Media Stakeholders’ Forum held virtually in Lagos, recently.

According to them, the power that be and government are still very much interfering and controlling media reporting in the country and this action is a setback to national development, economic stability and security. Speaking on the theme of the forum: “Economic Stability and Security as Tools for National Development:

The Media Perspective,” the LCCI president explained that the media perspective underscored the roles of media as the fourth estate of the realm in shaping and designing the national economic agenda for successful implementation. According to him, at no better time than now does Nigeria need everyone to join in the national economic discourse to set Nigeria on the path of growth. Olawale-Cole said: “According to United Nations Decade Report, national development is growth plus change. Change in turn is social and cultural as well as economic (qualitative and quantitative).

The preoccupation of successive governments in Nigeria has been to engender national development whereby growth is holistic, inclusive and broadbased. “But entrenched security challenges have consistently undermined outcomes of national development plans, initiatives and programmes.” The LCCI president said: “At no better time than now do we need all stakeholders to join in the national economic discourse to set Nigeria on the path of growth. “The 3.4 per cent real growth of Nigeria Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021 implies a rebound in output across sectors of the economy against the backdrop of resilience and strong fundamentals of the economy; positive growth is expected to continue in 2022.

“However, the downside to the optimistic outlook include elevated double-digit inflation, increasing debt liabilities, renewed global supply chain disruptions occasioned by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, forex liquidity challenges, and rising cost of production.” Olawale-Cole added: “The implementation of the Petro-leum Industry Act 2021, the National Development Plan (2021-2025) and the reforms in various sectors, are expected to create opportunities that will catalyse industrialization of the economy to achieve overall national development goals. “According to United Nations Decade Report, “National development is growth plus change.

Change in turn is social and cultural as well as economic (qualitative and quantitative). “The preoccupation of successive governments in Nigeria has been to engender national development whereby growth is holistic, inclusive and broadbased. But entrenched security challenges have consistently undermined outcomes of national development plans, initiatives and programmes.” Founder & Chairman, Proshare, Mr. Olufemi Awoyemi, who was the keynote speaker, explained that gaging of the country’s media role and responsibility in reporting current events in the country has been a propaganda, which to him, mirrored the image of the media in Nigeria as the fourth estate of the realm in the country.

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