The Nigerian Press Council has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting strategic partnerships that will enhance ethical journalism and good governance.

NPC’s executive secretary, Dili Ezughah, said this when he visited the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdulateef Shittu, in Abuja on Thursday.

Mr Ezughah lauded the NGF’s openness to collaboration, describing it as a demonstration of forward-thinking leadership.

“Our mission today is to formalise a strategic partnership between the Nigerian Press Council and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, present the NPC Strategic Partner Plaque, and discuss areas of mutual collaboration,” Mr Ezughah said.

He noted that the council, established by law to maintain high professional, ethical standards in the Nigerian press, had played a pivotal role in promoting accurate and responsible journalism, especially in an era dominated by digital information flow.

Mr Ezughah identified four key areas of proposed collaboration between the NPC and NGF for support on the council’s upcoming publication titled ‘Nigeria – Documenting the Economy and Tourism Profile of the States and the Federal Capital Territory’.

He said the book would highlight each state’s economic and tourism potential, serving as a vital resource for investors and the public.

Mr Ezughah, who solicited book endorsement from NGF’s chairman, said the forum’s endorsement would add credibility to the publication and demonstrate state governments’ support for transparent communication.

“The council will also mark World Press Freedom Day with the theme ‘Navigating the AI Frontier: Strengthening Press Freedom in Nigeria’s Digital Transformation’ on May 3,” the NPC chieftain stated. “The NPC is requesting recorded goodwill messages from six governors, one from each geo-political zone to demonstrate support for press freedom and responsible journalism.”

Speaking on combating fake news, Mr Ezughah called for collaboration on deploying advanced technology to detect and combat fake news, disinformation and misinformation.

He added that the initiative would safeguard media organisations and public institutions alike.

Responding, Mr Shittu expressed the forum’s readiness to collaborate with the NPC management team, saying that such synergy was a symbolic call to further national development.

“The NGF is a policy hub and resource centre for the states. We welcome this collaboration with the NPC, as it aligns with our strategic objectives at the NGF Secretariat,” he stated.

He said this effort will complement NPC’s mandate and enhance synergy between institutions.

Mr Shittu also emphasised the importance of sanitising the media space, especially amid rising incidents of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.

(NAN)