Ensure professionalism, FG charges
bloggers, social media enthusiasts

october 16, 2014.
By CALEB AYANSINA


ABUJA – The Federal Government, yesterday,
called on bloggers and social media
enthusiasts to apply professionalism in the
dissemination of information to the general
public.
The government noted that the “social media
has become an avenue for transmitting hate
speeches and radical messages”, and there
was need to ensure self censorship.
The Director General of National Orientation
Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri made this
known at the Nigerian Bloggers and Social
Media Workshop organised by the Agency in
Abuja.
Omeri expressed concern over some online
publications and press articles on the current
security challenges and other challenges in the
country in what he described as
‘embellished tones’.
The DG noted that the role of bloggers/writers
of online articles, the press, social media
users, media focused civil society organisation
in promoting peace, unity and national
development.”
He maintained that place of a good ethical
conducts among the practitioners and the
owners of blogs could not be overemphasised,
to have a peaceful society.
According to him, the aim of the workshop
was not to infringe on the rights of bloggers on
their freedom of speech and expression or
impose a regulatory framework on the
populace, but to ensure strict adherent to
tenet of journalism.
”The online media being an emergent critical
component of the media also needs to be
strengthened to contribute to the effective
functioning of the larger body in its quest of
building a better society.
“Therefore, increasing the knowledge of
bloggers and other workshop participants on
ethical principles in their practice is
imperative,” Omeri said.
He expressed confidence that “the quality of
content put together by the credible team of
resource persons assured me that this
workshop will be beneficial to participants on
personal and professional level, as we embark
on this knowledge-learning and experience
sharing expedition”.