A former Secretary to the Abia State Government, Chief Ralph Egbu, has tasked practising journalists on accurate and balanced news reportage to further deepen journalism profession in society.
He also cautioned them against setting the state ablaze through clannish and sentimental reportage in the face of heightened political activities.
Egbu, who was also former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, gave the warning at the Special lecture organized to mark the 2022 World Press Freedom Day held at the NUJ Press Centre, Umuahia, the Abia capital.
He was among the discussants at the special lecture to celebrate World Press Freedom Day with the theme, “Journalism Under Digital Siege”.
Egbu further challenged journalists to refuse to be used to cause trouble in Abia State but be in the vanguard of promoting peace, tranquility and good governance as well as take interest in law making through balanced reportage that would set agenda for both politicians and the public.
He posited that the struggle between press freedom and the so-called siege would always be there but also maintained that the works of the dutiful journalists would always speak for them.
The renowned columnist admonished journalists to jettison laziness and take their pride in place while encouraging them to strive to own media spaces both digital and conventional media, stressing that such attempt would make the real practitioner dominate the media space with verifiable reportage.
Egbu congratulated the Abia Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) on the World Press Freedom Day celebrations, and however, called for more training to enable the practitioners to perform their duties in line with the ethics of the profession as well as protect their sources.