UNDP embarks on capacity needs assessment of the Nigerian media

UNDP embarks on capacity needs assessment of the Nigerian media
Tony Ekata, Kano

The Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is conducting a capacity needs assessment of the media in relation to democracy and governance in Nigeria.

The process involves consultative sessions with stakeholders to ensure an evidence-based assessment.

One of such sessions with representatives of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria took place in Kano, northern Nigeria on Thursday.

VON correspondent Tony Ekata who attended the session on the platform of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, reports that the assessment seeks to identify the assets and gaps in the capacity of the Nigerian media to report issues of democracy and governance.

Goal of the assessment

The goal is to facilitate the formulation of and implementation of sustainable capacity development of the media and democracy through a comprehensive review of existing capacity levels.

The direct involvement of media stakeholders is informed by the fact that media platforms are at the centre of the efforts to build the capacity of the media on a sustainable basis.

Mr Isiaka Hassan, the UNDP coordinator of the project explained that the media has a very important role to play in ensuring a viable democracy.

“We believe if the media performs its tasks very well, the people will be well enlightened and there will be popular participation in government. In addition, the government will be able to be put on check, and then we will be able to ensure transparency and probity of governance,” he said.

Focus

The assessment focuses on 3 elements of capacity assessment, namely; professional development of the media, level of editorial independence and institutional strength of media platforms.

Professor Umaru Pate, Head of the Mass Communication department of the Ahmadu Bello University and consultant to the UNDP on the DGD project, said that the challenges facing the media were related to those facing the economy.

“What you see in the media is just like a reflection of what is happening in the larger society. You cannot expect to have a first class media when our politicians are not first class individuals. The economy is supposed to be like the framework within which the media operates. When the economy is not healthy, it affects the media also…”

Communiqué

The communiqué issued at the end of the session called for comprehensive training policies to address the human resource needs of media organisations by media owners and regulators as well as the provision of adequate funds by owners for the operation and upgrading of facilities of the media organisations.

It recommended proper dissemination and strict enforcement of media code of conduct and ethics, merit-based recruitment, promotion, deployment and training of journalists, a periodic review of curriculums of journalism institutions to bridge the gap between the newsroom and the classroom and the enhancement of the remuneration of media practitioners.

Participants also agreed on the need for media platforms to have a common fund for the social security of members and constant dialogue among the various media platforms.

Williams