Ahmad Lawan,the President of the Senate, has assured that the National Assembly will not make laws that would inhibit press freedom in the country.
Lawan,who gave the assurance in commemoration of this year’s World Press Freedom Day,also expressed satisfaction at the media for defending freedom of speech in the country
He maintained that freedom of the press enables journalists to effectively discharge their roles as the watchdog of the society and fourth estate of the realm.
According to him, journalists play significant roles in nation building.
He said:”I also celebrate the Nigerian journalists for the invaluable contributions and sacrifices that they have made throughout our national history to nation-building and entrenchment of democracy.”I pay tribute to the patriots who have lost their lives in the line of duty and pray that their death will not be in vain”
He implored the media to adopt practical measures to check the activities of the purveyors of fake news.
He said:“it is in this light that I call on the practitioners to purge their noble profession of the bad eggs whose nefarious activities are denting the credibility and reputation of the mainstream practitioners.My belief is that the menace of fake news is capable of eroding the integrity and credibility of the media in general, and this should not be allowed to happen.”
He noted that May 3 is set aside every year to remind governments around the world of their obligation to facilitate and respect press freedom, and also to remind journalists the need to respect the ethics of their profession.
