Abuja pledges Tinubu admin won’t choke freedom despite banning journalists
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Abuja has given an assurance Bola Tinubu will not stifle freedom of expression despite him having banned some journalists from Aso Rock and allegation by David Hundeyin that Tinubu is trying to kill him for his muckraking on the President.
Arise News is also on the sights of the Villa with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) issuing the broadcaster a “final warning” last week over an allegation which the regulator did not properly investigate or allow Arise to explain.
Nonetheless, Information and National Orientation Minister Mohammed Idris stressed the administration will promote healthy communication to ensure good governance rather than stifle freedom of expression.
Idris made the point when he received in his office in Abuja a team from Google West Africa.
He said it is important to have a platform where people can express themselves freely, but added freedom comes with enormous responsibility which should not translate into an avenue for the creation of anarchy.
Idris disclosed the federal government would continue to both promote freedom of expression and allow a free environment for everyone to express themselves as well as have the right of access to information.
“It is critical that those who are responsible for bringing out this information or creating the platforms are also very conscious of the fact that it can easily be used against the people it is meant to serve,” he said.
“We will partner with Google in promoting the free flow of information because democracy cannot survive without freedom of expression.”
Idris commended Google for the good work it is doing and promised the ministry would continue to engage with the tech giant and with others to stop the spread of fake news.
__________________________________________________________________
Related articles:
SERAP alerts, Tinubu already violating Constitution by banning journalists
Hundeyin tells UN Council, Tinubu has attempted to abduct him from Ghana
Amnesty Int’l slams NBC for swooping on Arise TV to block Tinubu scrutiny
__________________________________________________________________
Google trains 3,500 journalists on digital tools
Olumide Balogun, who led the Google delegation, disclosed the firm has in the past three years trained more than 3,500 journalists to use different tools for news verification, including digital tools to manage misinformation, per reporting by Daily Post.
“We have the Google News integration team that helps news organisations across the world, including Nigeria, through what is called ‘Google Innovation Challenge’ to innovate and introduce new innovations to news organizations, one of the innovations that we funded, called ‘full fact’ is an AI technology that helps in fact-checking,” Balogun explained.
The Google team pledged to support the ministry by training staff on online skills.
