NGE Confab: Tinubu Advocates Positive Narrative to Boost Nigeria’s Investment

•Says false narrative, misinformation threatening country’s fabric

•Governor Eno charges editors to engender good governance in their reportage

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja and Okon Bassey in Uyo

President Bola Tinubu has asked the media to project the country positively to attract the needed investments to foster economic growth.

Tinubu made the appeal yesterday in Uyo at the opening of the 19th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference (ANEC), organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors.

The president, who was represented by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stressed the role of the media as a primary source of information. He emphasised the role of timely and accurate reporting, saying it helps businesses make informed decisions, and fosters a conducive environment for growth.

The president said, “I urge you to provide positive media coverage that can enhance investor confidence and attract the needed investments that fuel economic development in our county. The media’s role in portraying a favourable business environment contributes to the stability of financial markets.”

Tinubu said promoting discussions on stimulating economic growth in the country remained a central focus of his administration and called for collaborative efforts of the media editors to sustain the discussions in alignment with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He acknowledged the immediate economic pains inflicted by the removal of fuel subsidy, saying his administration has been taking necessary measures to alleviate the pain through interventions designed to serve as palliatives in the short and medium term, as the nation awaits the long-term benefits of the reforms.

Tinubu listed some of the interventions as the provisional wage increment of N35,000 monthly for six months, to augment the federal minimum wage; the establishment of an Infrastructure Support Fund for States to invest in critical areas that will create an enabling environment for businesses, and the launch of a N100 billion CNG bus rollout programme, to deliver CNG-powered buses, as well as the establishment of a Presidential Committee to drive implementation.

He appealed to media editors to help combat the menace of misinformation, disinformation, and false narratives that threaten the fabric of society through fact-checking, responsible reporting, and promoting media and digital literacy.

He extolled the founding fathers of NGE, led by the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, a revered journalist and one-time Governor of Lagos State, who in 1961, alongside others, established the Guild and contributed to the socio-political development of the country, particularly, in delivering the country from the jackboots of the military and achieving democratic rule.

The president stated, “We are faced with the proliferation of misinformation and false narrative, which threaten the fabric of our society.

“And it is our collective duty to combat this menace through fact checking, responsible reporting, promoting media and digital literacy with which we can fortify our defences against the corrosive effects of false narrative.”

Tinubu called on the Conference of Nigeria Editors to support the campaign for moral rectitude among Nigerians.

He said, “Against the background of imminent systemic moral decline over a long period of time, leading to the erosion of our national values.

“It’s my pleasure to inform you that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation is working to change the narrative in our country through the implementation of a sustained mass reorientation campaign that aims to foster unity, patriotism and promotion of positive values among Nigerians.

“We seek to collectively re-orientate ourselves as Nigerians in the direction of a stronger sense of national identity and shared values.

“I will, therefore, appeal to all our editors to support this campaign for national rectitude among Nigerians.”

Addressing the conference, the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, charged the Guild of Editors to engender good governance in their reportage to promote the country’s democracy.

Eno stated, “I want to plead that you use the media, to engender a new template of reportage, one that is development-oriented, where our leaders are called to account without being overly obtrusive.

“No one desire a pliant media that act like the cheer-leaders to the government, but in trying to break the news, we should be careful not to break the fabric of the society. You need the nation first in order to freely practise your profession.”

Acknowledging the media for the support received by his administration, the governor said his government was open to constructive criticisms and was committed to driving a narrative of governance focused at making the rural dwellers to reap the dividends of democracy and build trust in government.

Earlier, in a welcome address, President of Nigeria Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, said the conference was part of the editors’ contributions to the growth and development of not only the media industry, but also the country in general.

Anaba challenged his colleagues on the need for balanced, accurate, factual, and fair reports and implored them to make use of fact-checking tools in disseminating editorial products to the people. He said this was the only effective and efficient way to discharge their constitutional duty, under Section 22 of the constitution, of holding power to account and upholding human rights, the rule of law, good governance, and democratic principles.

He also asked political actors not to suppress the press, saying, “Always remember that a free press is like oxygen to a democracy. Let nothing be done to stifle the press or shrink freedom of expression and media freedom under any guise.”

The chairman of the conference and publisher of Vanguard Newspaper, Sam Amuka Pemu, lamented the critical economic situation in the country and urged the editors to always remove unwholesome items when disseminating information to the public.