Akpabio urges editors to sanitise journalism

GOVERNOR Godswill Akpabio has challenged participants at a four-day workshop by the Nigerian Guild of Editors holding in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to discuss ways of sanitising journalism profession in the country.According to a statement, Akpabio, who gave the charge when the executive members of the Guild led by their President, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Uyo, further charged the body to seek ways of reducing quacks from the profession. He described journalism as a noble profession, reasoning that what journalists publish daily could promote or rubbish the image of the country. ''In law, there are a few quacks that can easily be identified, but journalism has more quacks. I want you to seek ways of reducing the quacks in your profession. Embark on training and re-training of journalists.''Governor Akpabio also wanted the body to discuss ways of helping the government to create more job opportunities for the people and what government ought to do to inculcate reading culture among Nigerian students in secondary and tertiary institutions.He applauded the Guild on the theme of its workshop ''Editors and National Development,'' saying that development is part of national security. He called on the body to ensure proper editing of stories to remove libelous materials from letters to the editor used by unsuspecting people to dent the reputation of others.Adefaye commended Akpabio for hosting the workshop, revealing that the opening ceremony would have in attendance the Senate President and the National Security Adviser, among others.He pointed out that Nigeria has for sometime been in the news for bad reason, noting that the workshop would afford journalists opportunity of doing introspection on the various security challenges the country has gone through over the years.
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