From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Chief Executive Officer and the Editor-in-Chief Stallion Times, Isiyaku Ahmed on Thursday in Lokoja charged Journalists to ensure people living with Disability gain prominence in the mainstream media that would influence national action towards disability.
Ahmed gave the charge in his opening address at the training workshop for journalists on disability reporting in the media Organized by Stallion Times Media Services Ltd., the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, and the MacArthur Foundation, held at Riverton hotel, Lokoja.
According to him, the training is under the Participatory Governance and Media Literacy project tagged “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve (G-DRIP)” being implemented by Stallion Times Media Service in Kano and Kogi states.
He said the G-DRIP is in collaboration with the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism under the Collaborative Media Project (Collaborating for media independence and government accountability), with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
“The importance of the training cannot be over emphasized because of the common and negative stereotypes of persons with disabilities which have penetrated the public, the media, and the governance eco-system in Kogi and other states of Nigeria.”
“Objectives of the workshop is to train journalists to report on PwDs issues in ways that highlight their concerns on everyday happening. To build the capacity of media practitioners in disability-inclusive reporting with the hope of prompting government action for improved service delivery. ”
Ahmed pointed out that despite the challenges the media faces in terms of funding and poor capacity, the media is in a unique position to reshape the public image and improve the living condition of persons with disabilities through research and proper reporting of critical issues that affects disabilities in Nigeria.
“It is in recognition of your contribution towards promoting Gender and Social Inclusion in governance and driving professionalism in the media space that we have invited you to this knowledge transfer training, share experience, participate actively, learn and report these issues to make the state a better place for the minority and marginalized groups.” He added.
He said the idea of the training is to provoke positive action that would amplify and make good issues of disability in Kogi state and Nigeria through investigative reports.
