Dorathy Aninge
A Non Governmental Organisation, CLEEN Foundation, has trained selected journalists in Benue on the promotion of Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.
The Foundation Executive Director Mr Peter Maduoma said that the three-day training held in Makurdi was supported by the Norwegian Embassy.
Maduoma described the media as central for any intervention and social change aimed at improving the society.
“That is why we brought together the media; mainstream platforms, as well as online and individual media practitioners to train them.
“We have trained them on how to report issues relating to criminal justice administration in the state, especially within the context of the current security challenges in Benue.
“There is a way the media should report when the environment is under pressure, like what we are currently seeing, with insecurity, banditry, communal clashes, and other tensions.
“We want to see the media being very neutral, objective, and purposeful in their reporting to support nation-building.
“The media is central to the information citizens receive, and they also form a strong force that can advocate to duty bearers, the executive, the legislature, and others in governance,” he said .
According to him, this has to do with what is right for the people they serve.
The ED added that CLEEN Foundation felt strongly that the training should be organised to refresh journalists on issues of criminal justice, as well as the women’s peace and security agenda in the state.
He noted that the NGO conducted a lot of research in the area, and its interventions so far had led to the development of a policy brief.
He stated that the brief was meant to be shared with the public and across the entire development value chain in the country, to highlight findings, identify gaps, and provide constructive recommendations.
Maduoma commended the organisation partners in Benue, particularly the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, for their cooperation and commitment to enhancing ACJL and WPS.
Dr Victoria Daaor, Chairman, ACJL State High Level Monitoring Committee, described the training as apt.
Daaor gave an assurance that the committee would work with all stakeholders, particularly to achieve its mandate.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Theresa Ikwue, assured that the state government would continue to work with organisations like CLEEN to enhance wellbeing of women and children.
Ikwue, who was represented by a staff of the ministry, Mr Austin Ugbir, said that the ministry was planning to launch a website that would be reporting sexual and gender-based violence cases.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the journalists were exposed to ACJL provisions for human rights, media as a watchdog in justice sector accountability and understanding the WPS, among others.
NAN also reports that the training featured the official launch of CLEEN Policy Brief and Scorecard. (NAN).
