Vice President Shettima Calls for Balance in Media Reporting

• The Vice President made the remarks during a courtesy visit from the leadership of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE)
  

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Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has urged the media to maintain balance and objectivity in their reporting while playing a crucial role in national development.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima highlighted the importance of media practitioners acting as watchdogs, while also contributing positively to the nation’s growth.

The Vice President made the remarks during a courtesy visit from the leadership of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).

In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima emphasised the need for a balanced partnership between the media and government to foster unity and economic progress.

“When we do good, please commend us. When we go astray, guide us. We must salvage this nation, not for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren,” Shettima said, calling for collaboration between the media and the government.

He acknowledged the challenges faced by the media, pledging the government’s support to ensure the sustainability of quality journalism. “My heart bleeds for the Nigerian media because of the dwindling economic fortunes they face. Rest assured, we will do whatever it takes to support the media in continuing their work,” he added.

Shettima also stressed that the focus should now be on governance rather than politics, urging unity for the good of the nation. “What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us. We are now in the period of governance, not politics,” he stated.

In response, the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, praised Shettima for his transparency in explaining the government’s economic policies, especially in his role as Chairman of the National Economic Council. Anaba reaffirmed the media’s readiness to collaborate with the government while maintaining its independence.

Anaba also announced that the 20th edition of the All Nigeria Editors Conference will take place from November 7-9 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.