Abuja
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration was not averse to media criticism but it should be done, “objectively and factually.”
The Minister stated this yesterday in Abuja when he received officials of International Press Institute (IPI) who were a courtesy visit to his office.
Mohammed said the Administration had been the most media tolerant one, but had also “received so many punches from the media.”
He reiterated the commitment of the government not to trample on freedom of the press, saying “no democracy can thrive without free press.”
“The Media have nothing to fear, but on the contrary we are the one that do not have our eyes closed
“We take so many punches from the media but we do not say they should not criticise us but it should be done based on facts and objectively,” he said.
Specifically, the minister said in assessing the performances of the administration, it should be done in context of what it inherited in 2015, when they assumed power.
He said the government was delivering in its electoral promises in the three key areas of revamping the economy, tackling insecurity and fighting corruption.
The minister assured the delegation of the government support towards a successful hosting of the 2018 IPI World Annual Conference in Nigeria in June.
In a remark, a former Director-General of NTA, Dr Tony Iredia, said the position of the Minister was a call on them to be balanced and objective.
Executive Director of IPI, Ms. Barbara Trionfi, commended the federal government for its efforts towards the promotion of the safety of journalists.
Trionfi thanked the minister for his support to making the Abuja Conference a reality, adding that it would be an opportunity to develop closer ties with leading journalists in the country.
Leader of the delegation, who is also the chairman of IPI in Nigeria, Alhaji Kabir Yusuf, assured the delegation of successful hosting of the conference, stressing that the organising committee had been working round the clock.
