Ace journalist and media strategist, Aliu Akoshile, has unveiled an online newspaper-NatureNews- as Nigeria marks its 60th independence anniversary, Thursday.
Speaking at a media parley in Abuja, Thursday, Akoshile, who was until recently the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Times, said he came up with the specialised newspaper as a novel solution to the critical challenge of development journalism in Nigeria, and Africa.
He said the NatureNews will satisfy the yearnings for authoritative news coverage of the environment as a means of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by the United Nations.
He noted that politics, business, sports and entertainment have dominated media coverage until now, saying those sectors will even thrive better in a safe and clean environment.
He said he intends to deploy NatureNews to be the most authoritative news platform on environment issues in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
Akoshile, who had previously served as director of Daily Trust newspaper, said NatureNews will partner all stakeholders that are involved with global actions towards nurturing a living environment.
Commenting on issues of press freedom, the ex-boss of Daily Times said NatureNews was founded on the principles of fundamental human rights as enunciated in the UN and AU Charters.
He assured that the newspaper subscribes fully to the cardinal ethics of journalism on accurate, fair, balanced and truthful reportage, adding that it will hold all governments accountable on their social contracts.
Akoshile said the newspaper would focus on the menace of gully erosion, desertification, oil spillage, open defecation and especially flooding that recently ravaged many states of the country.
According to him, it is no accident that NatureNews debuted with Nigeria’s diamond jubilee, adding that no positive project is too great as a gift for the nation.
