…as MAJAN President charges members to leverage on investigative journalism
by Omenihu Alfred fibmn
The news of the recent congress of the Powerful Pen Media chapel, a wing of the Nigerian Union of Journalists Lagos state chapter held on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at Apapa, Lagos has created a positive impression among stakeholders as they are perceived as professional and dynamic group chatting a noble course.
Speaking at the congress, the President, Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria, (MAJAN), Comrade Ray Ugochukwu, called on his members and reporters covering the maritime industry to practice investigative Journalism in their reportage. “While journalists cannot be blamed for doing run-off-the-mill reports, it is also very important that they begin to engage in investigative reportage, which apart from being more beneficial to the society, will also ensure such journalists are reckoned with.”
According to MAJAN President, maritime is the second-largest revenue-generating sector for the Federal Government after oil. As such, reporters covering the sector must investigate and bring out sharp practices to the attention of the government and the entire Public, saying that such investigative reports will enable the government to take proactive measures in tackling factors militating against the growth of the sector, in order to ensure sanity in the system.
Comrade Ray Ugochukwu emphasized that Journalists must be fair and objective in their reportage and back their investigations with facts and total objectivity. Furthermore, he informed that MAJAN will hold a Roundtable chat on the significance of the ‘African Continental Free Trade Agreement’ (ACFTA) and the preparedness of maritime stakeholders to key into this concept on Thursday, February 18, 2021, in Lagos. “The focus is on, ‘African Continental Free Trade Agreement’ (ACFTA)’, because this is an important issue at the moment. The Roundtable chat will engage selected stakeholders and their recommendations will help the government on policy formulation and implementation. In the end, we will inform the public through our reports.
Responding to questions on the preparedness of MAJAN to hold its “National Maritime Summit on Apapa traffic gridlock” slated for March 2021, he said; “We are on course. Plans are on top gear to Finally, MAJAN President urged maritime Journalists to live up to expectation in reporting the sector, especially in exposing the rot in the system.
