₦airaland Forum

Dr Judex Okoro has advocated the need to revive and promote "dying" community journalism for inclusive development and good governance in the rural areas.

Okoro, a lecturer in the department of Mass Communication, University of Calabar, made the call at a one-day media training program with in Yebegoa, Bayelsa on Thursday.

The training program with the theme: "Local Government Administration in the Niger Delta: Strengthening Accountability, Inclusive Development Through Investigations, Data And Solution Journalism."

The program was sponsored by National Point in conjunction with Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism and Macarthur Foundation.

Okoro noted that the failure of good governance at the local government level can be enhance with reportage of activities at that level of government.

"There is need for to report or expose development in our rural communities and that only way this can be achieve is through community journalism.

"We use to have this before now and that was where the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) held sway in those days but unfortunately, this story have changed, community journalism is almost dead.

"Community journalism will also give voice to the voiceless residing in the rural areas and gives them a sense of belonging," he stated.

Okoro also advocated for shift in focus to "solution journalism" which he said, will be more impactful that focusing on the problems.

Meanwhile, Ms Ibiba DonPedro, Publisher of National Point, says climate change will increase the level of poverty in the country if government at all level continue to pay lip service to mitigate the impact.

DonPedro urged media practitioners to focus on issues of under-reported.

She particularly mentioned the need to give voice to the rural communities, climate change, and inclusive governance to help build an enviable society.

"We are all aware of the happenings in Maidiguri where flood caused by climate change has wrecked havoc in the state.

"The Borno flood challenge brings to fore in the need for government to take the issue of climate change seriously.

"The reality is that the climate change challenge will increase poverty level in the society and indeed on different parts of the world," she stated.

DonPedro urged journalist to embrace training and be well informed in order to be abreast with the change and help spread happenings across the world.

She further noted that media practitioners must live with their role of helping to build a better and prosperous society.

According to her, "our noble role should be able to build a better country that will all yearn for."

In his presentation, Prof. Steve Wordu who lamented the failure of local government administration in the country, attributed the rising poverty level in the country to this failure.

The Professor of Sociology in the University of Port Harcourt, said effective development journalism will help bridge the gap created by this failure at the local level.

Wording who presented a paper on "Local Government Administration in the Niger Delta: The Perspective of Regional Development" says training will strengthen media in understanding their role in development administration.

"Journalists needs to make use of digital resources to enhance governance in the area," he says.

Nofweb:
The program was sponsored by National Point in conjunction with Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism and Macarthur Foundation.
Okoro noted that the failure of good governance at the local government level can be enhance with reportage of activities at that level of government.
"There is need for to report or expose development in our rural communities and that only way this can be achieve is through community journalism.
"We use to have this before now and that was where the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) held sway in those days but unfortunately, this story have changed, community journalism is almost dead.
"Community journalism will also give voice to the voiceless residing in the rural areas and gives them a sense of belonging," he stated.
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Indeed!

Good reflection