NAN-H-77
Journalists
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Nov. 23, 2016 (NAN) The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, has urged journalists to be objective in their reportage of the transport sector, especially its importance to the economy.
Bello made the call on Wednesday at the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA) CEO Forum, a flagship programme of the association in Abuja.
He said that in as much as the sector needed the journalists to keep them on their toes, it was important for a reporter to always get the facts correct before publishing.
He commended journalists covering the maritime and aviation sector for their enlightened reportage of the sector, adding that it was `a positive development.’
“I have seen the slang in their reportage and I have seen how sophisticated they are becoming tying transport to the economy because transport cannot exist alone.
‘’Actually, it is the transport that drives the economy and that is why the NSC comes in,’’ he said.
Bello also enjoined journalists to be constructive in their criticism of the council and the sector to ensure accountability in service delivery to Nigerians.
He pledged to support the association in the area of training of its members with the requisite knowledge of transportation sector to be able to do more for the sector.
“For you to be able to report this sophisticated industry objectively, you have to be trained to know the rudiments of transport and the transport linkage to the economy.
“This is because transport is nothing if it has nothing to contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), its contribution to employment, wealth creation and so on and so forth.
“For example, if we concession terminals, how many Nigerians have been employed; if we are creating inland container ports, what is the employment content of this?
“ Nollywood is contributing to the GDP more than transport. Transport is in competition with other sectors to contribute to the GDP because that means we have deficit in infrastructure for modern transport system,’’ he said.
Bello disclosed that the transport sector had hitherto looked at journalists as outsiders or “busy bodies“, addding that now ”reporters have become part of the sector”. (NAN)
OYS/EAL/IS
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi/Ismail Abdulaziz
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