Waapac: Nuj Fct Chair ‘seeks a stronger media role in the supervision of public debt

Waapac: Nuj Fct Chair ‘seeks a stronger media role in the supervision of public debt

Abuja (Core reporter) The President of the Union of Journalists of Nigeria (Nuj), the Federal Council of the territory of the capital (FCT), his partner Grace Ike, asked for greater collaboration between the media, the civil society organizations and the Parliament to strengthen the supervision of public debt and improve responsibility in Nigeria.

In its presentation at the eleventh annual conference and at the General Assembly of the West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (Waapac), organized on Tuesday by the Committee for the public finances of the representative Chamber, IKE stressed that the media remain the mirror of the company and a vital guard dog in considering the officials of the responsible public.

He observed that without the active involvement of journalists, the work of the parliamentary committees such as the Committee of Public Ctoons (PAC) would not have reached the desired impact.

“The media act as an intermediary between parliament, government institutions and the public. The awareness of the public is necessary and how can we achieve this if not through the sharing of information and the development of skills?” he said.

The president of Nuj underlined the need for training and redevelopment of journalists to deepen their understanding of audit processes, public debt issues and technical aspects of legislative supervision.

He proposed periodic seminars, round tables and briefing joined with the institutions of Supreme Audit (Sais) and civil society groups to improve the quality of relations.

While praises the president of the Committee for the public finances of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Bamidele Salam, for having worked closely with the media, insisted on the fact that there was room for improvement.

He suggested that before the end of the tenth assembly, a complete training session should be organized for journalists who cover Parliament to build their technical knowledge on debt and supervision issues.

By highlighting the growing importance of investigative and undercover journalism, Ike said that journalists must be equipped with resources and specialized training to exhibit corruption and bad management of public resources.

“Investigative journalism is not easy. It requires funding, time and skills. We must form journalists capable of safely carrying out undercover relations on public finances and debt management. This will guarantee that we provide accurate information, non -uninformation, at a time when false news dominate social media,” he said.

He also urged the Sais and Parliamentary committees to facilitate access to reports and Audit data, underlining that timely information, simplified and publicly available would improve transparency and responsibility.

According to her, the media and the CSO also have a duty to undertake joint awareness campaigns to educate citizens on public debt, on its implications and their right to ask for responsibility by the government.

“Most people don’t even know they have the right to ask for responsibility. It is the duty of the media to remind citizens this right and keep those in power to their promises,” he added.

Ike also asked for the defense of legislative and political reforms that would strengthen the role of parliamentary committees in the supervision of the debt.

He claimed that by advertising both the successes and the challenges, the media could stimulate a large civic commitment and pressure for reforms.

He concluded that an effective supervision of public debt must be seen as a collective responsibility involving Parliament, civil society and the media.

“One thing is to write relationships and approve resolutions. Another is the implementation. As information gatekeeper, the media are ready to work with all the interested parties to ensure that citizens are enhanced, public resources are protected and sustainable development is obtained,” said Ike.

The president of Nuj FCT ​​expressed optimism on the fact that he continued the synergy between the Committee of Public Ctoons and the press would not only improve transparency, but would also guarantee that the Nigerians are better informed about how public debt is managed.