The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), has faulted the non-invitation of print media owners to a public hearing scheduled for today, on the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Amendment Bill.
A statement by Kabiru A. Yusuf, President of NPAN,wondered why the association was not invited to participate in the hearing.
“In fact, going by available information, the hearing had initially been scheduled for yesterday, Wednesday, June 16, 2021, along with four other media related bills,”it said.
It added that contrary to earlier practice when the NPAN was invited to a public hearing on the same bill in the last Senate, it only got to know of this development by sheer happenstance.
“We therefore call on the leadership of the National Assembly, and the House of Representatives in particular, to redress this anomaly.With the public hearing now delayed by a day, the NPAN will endeavor to show up, even without a formal invitation.We also call on all media workers, and their organisations, to pay attention to the public hearing which may have important consequences on the freedom of the press in particular and good governance in general,” the statement added
