From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Federal Government, yesterday, disclosed that concerned Nigerians have appealed for action against the menace of fake news and misinformation in the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who disclosed the development while receiving a team from The Guardian Newspaper in Abuja, also said charlatans and hack writers were dominating the media space.
The minister however said the media remained indispensable to the sustenance of a virile democracy.
Mohammed further said as a matter of fact, no true democracy survived without a professional, responsible and independent media, adding that it was in this context that the government continued to view the media as a strong partner.
“Of course, the Nigerian media has earned its epaulette over the years, and it is regarded among the most independent and fearless in these parts.
“It is said that for the media to be able to play its role, which is to inform, criticize and stimulate debate, it must take responsibility for whatever it puts out. In other words, it must get its facts right. But can we say today that most of what we read, hear and watch in the news are factual?
“In an era of fake news and misinformation, the media has a duty to get its facts right. The media does itself a great favour by ensuring that charlatans and hack writers do not dominate the media space, as it’s increasingly becoming the case here in Nigeria.
“In the past few days alone, this office has received appeals from many concerned Nigerians asking the Federal Government to do something about the rising wave of fake news and misinformation. I am also aware that, publicly, some well meaning Nigerians have issued such appeals,” Mohammed said.
Mohammed further said the government was not surprised that the trend was happening, adding that as a matter of fact, the government saw it coming.
“That explains why, as far back as 2017, we started our advocacy against fake news, hate speech and misinformation. We devoted an entire National Council on Information to this issue, in Jos in 2017. We have launched a national campaign on it, in July 2018, and we have also met with some of the platform owners, like Facebook and Google. Yes, we have succeeded in bringing the issue to the consciousness of Nigerians and putting it in the front burner of national discourse, but the challenge still persists.
“To be sure, the issue of fake news and misinformation is not just about the government alone, as some have insinuated. It is about all of us. Fake news has ruined homes, pushed many into depression and done untold hardship to others. It is a clear and present danger to all.
“I believe it will not be out of place for reputable media organizations like the Guardian to set up a special desk for fact-checking as a panacea for this problem. That way, you can help citizens to separate fact from fiction. I am aware that some media organizations are already doing this, but it must be taken seriously by every media establishment. On our part, we are undeterred as we have continued our engagement with stakeholders to find a way out. Hopefully, we will be taking a more concrete step on this in the months ahead,” Mohammed further said.
In his remarks, the Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, Mr. Martins Oloja, saaid The Guardian remained loyal to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and would not yield its platform to those seeking to undermine the country’s unity.
Oloja also told the minister that the newspaper is re-engineering itself and evolving into a multi-media platform.