The Daily Trust Foundation (DTF) has urged journalists to uphold the principles of patriotism, nationalism, transparency and accountability in the profession.
Speaking on Wednesday during a 3-day Broadcast Investigation Training held in Uyo for journalists in the South South region, Dr Muhammad Yakubu, a board member of DTF, emphasized the importance of patriotic journalists committed to driving positive change in society.
Yakubu said DTF, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Media Trust Group, organised the training to address the disparity in investigative skills between print and broadcast media.
He stressed that journalists must acquire new skills to effectively fulfil their responsibilities and hold the government accountable.
He said, “It is the vision of the foundation that broadcast journalists would do more investigative reporting in the interest of the growth of Nigeria. We believe that all journalists here are interested in change in Nigeria.
“There can be no change except ills in the society are exposed. We must do the kind of journalism that is driven by values, patriotism, nationalism, transparency and accountability.
“Professionals who have imbibed these values cannot look away where there are wrong-doings in the society. In a nutshell, the country needs many more investigative reporters who are committed to change than we have at the moment.
“Bringing you to Uyo to help sharpen your skills in broadcast investigation is our way of motivating you to do more.”
The Commissioner for Information in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Ini Ememobong, commended DTF for consistently conducting training programmes in the state and encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained from the training in their work.
The training featured facilitators such as Mr Fidelis Mbah, known for investigative reports with BBC, Al Jazeera, and CGTN; Mr Isine Ibanga, a recipient of CNN and Wole Soyinka Investigative Reporting awards; Dr Theophilus Abah, Programme Director of DTF; and Oto-Abasi Tom, Executive Director of Tito Television Studios.
The DTF, with support from the MacArthur Foundation, has trained over 700 journalists across Nigeria, reflecting its commitment to enhancing journalism standards and promoting accountability and transparency in media practice.
