NUJ, Chevron, partner to train journalists on digital accountability

The Federal Capital Territory, Nigerian Union of Journalists, FCT NUJ, has partnered with Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, to train journalists on digital tools as opportunities in promoting good governance. 

The capacity building aimed to equip journalists with the skills to leverage digital tools for effective reporting and promoting transparency and accountability in governance, themed, “Digital Tools as Opportunity for Promoting Good Governance”

Speaking during the training on Tuesday in Abuja, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, CNL, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, highlighted the critical role the media plays in shaping public opinion and holding people accountable.

Brikinn, who was represented by Manager Communications Chevron Nigeria Limited, Victor Anyaegbudike, said it is in recognition of that role that Chevron Nigeria Limited is committed to supporting professional development of Journalists across the country. 

He stressed that, “Through programmes like this, we help to improve professional capacity and build lasting partnerships with our media stakeholders. We’re happy to build on the success of last year’s activity, and we’re confident that this programme will benefit the participants and enhance their reporting skills,” he added.

“We’re committed to making human investments that deliver long-term transformative returns. This is achieved through our Nigerian Content development activities, where we provide employment opportunities to Nigerians and contract opportunities worth over $1 billion annually.

“We’re proud to partner with the NUJ to enhance the capacity of journalists in Nigeria. We believe that a well-trained and informed media is essential for the development of our country,” he stated.

He said the company has progressed its media capacity building efforts for journalists this year by training additional 90 journalists drawn from the NUJ Lagos, Abuja and Warri in Delta State.

The initiative is expected to have benefitted over 180 media practitioners by the end of this year, bringing the total number of journalists who have participated in the CNL sponsored capacity building programmes to 300.

“Through programmes such as AWARES and the Chevron-NUJ capacity building programmes, we help to improve professional capacity and build lasting partnerships with our media stakeholders.

“We’re committed to transparency and accountability in our operations. We believe that a well-informed media is essential for our success,” he said. 

Earlier, Chairman of the NUJ-FCT Council, Comrade Osaretin Osadebamwen, while welcoming participants to the training programme, pointed that the place of the new media and the ancillaries which facilitates news on the go has come to stay with us. 

“We have evolved from web 1.0 through web 2.0 and are effectively entering the space of web 3. Here everybody is a news maker. The social media space tells us this.

“Before now, the news makers were only the elites and those accidentals, which are qualified by oddity. However, with these new changes, the reality is different.

“Imagine that little girl whose defiance to her teacher’s penalty about her school fees not being paid by her struggling parent, suddenly becoming a national sensation attracting positive response or the ‘mummy calm down’ video. All these point to enormous opportunity in the power of these digital tools,” Osadebamwen said.

“We decided to explore these tools for the benefits of our profession and we are grateful for Chevron Nigeria for the 2024 sponsorship of this programme, like it did last year. This is no doubt an immense contribution to the development of journalists and even the art of Journalism development in Nigeria,” he stated.

“The respective topics were chosen and resource persons sought from the best of places to do justice to the topics. As you can see from the papers, Data Journalism and Social Media Reporting, Digital Right and the Public Good, and Understanding the New Media and the Power of Trends are topics carefully selected to have each of you empowered to sharpen your skills,” Osadebamwen explained.