By Binta Shama
Abuja
Acting Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Mrs. oti Ovrawah, has challenged journalists to avoid sensational headlines and be objective in their coverage of important issues the Commission “is working on.”
She gave the charge yesterday at a press conference on the “Media Consultation Draft on the North East Human Rights Assessment Reports,” in Abuja.
“The report does not in any way indict the Presidency, ex-SGF or any other federal government or state. The report is an assessment study of human rights and humanitarian challenges in the North East of Nigeria with a view to shaping the policies of government, international organisations as well as all relevant stakeholders in consolidating the interventions in the North. The report does make reference to previous reports of other stakeholders to enrich its assessment of the situation on ground in the North-east,” she said.
Ovrawah said the assessment report was yet to be made public, but undergoing validation and consultations among stakeholders, which deemed it fit to engage the media as “a veritable partner in the dissemination of objective information and should please present reports as they are and seek clarification when in doubt.”
She challenged the journalist to see themselves as partners in progress and “remain responsible to their society for national integration and development.”
