MAJAN President Harps On Investigative Journalism
*As MAJAN Roundtable Chat On AfCFTA Holds On Thursday
The President, Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria, (MAJAN), Comrade Ray Ugochukwu, has implored reporters covering the maritime sector to practice investigative Journalism in their reportage.
Comrade Ugochukwu said while journalists cannot be totally blamed for doing run- off- the- mill reports, it is also very important that they begin to engage in investigative reportage, which apart from being more beneficial to the society, will also ensure such journalists are reckoned with.
He said this while addressing MAJAN members at their Congress, held on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at Apapa, Lagos.
The MAJAN President said that maritime is the second largest revenue generating sector for the Federal Government after oil. As such, reporters covering the sector must investigate and bring out sharp practices to attention of government and the entire Publc.
According to him, such investigative reports will enable government take proactive measures in tackling factors militating against growth of the sector, in order to ensure sanity in the system.
Ugochukwu emphasised that Journalists must be fair and objective in their reportage. He stressed that their investigative reports must be presented with facts.
Further he disclosed that MAJAN will hold a Roundtable chat on the significance of ‘African Continental Free Trade Agreement’ (AfCFTA) and the preparedness of maritime stakeholders to key into this concept.
He said, “MAJAN Roundtable is slated for Thursday February 18, 2021, in Lagos.
“The focus is on, ‘African Continental Free Trade Agreement’ (AfCFTA)’, because this is an important issue at the moment.
“All MAJAN members are going to have a Roundtable chat with selected stakeholders on this particular topic. At the end, we will inform the Public through our reports. As Journalists, it is obligatory on our part to constantly disseminate information to the public,
this is exactly what MAJAN is doing”.
Responding to questions on the preparedness of MAJAN to hold its “National Maritime Summit on Apapa traffic gridlock” slated for March, 2021, he said;
“We are on course. Plans are on top gear to ensure a successful outing”.
He added, “The MAJAN Roundtable chat on AfCFTA is important, because recommendations from stakeholders will help government on policies formulation and implementation”.
