{"id":396991,"date":"2018-02-01T06:00:53","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T06:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=396991"},"modified":"2018-02-01T06:57:48","modified_gmt":"2018-02-01T06:57:48","slug":"media-cso-partnerhsip-good-governance-perspective-nigeria-article","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2018\/02\/media-cso-partnerhsip-good-governance-perspective-nigeria-article\/","title":{"rendered":"Media – CSO partnerhsip for good governance; my perspective from Nigeria [Article]"},"content":{"rendered":"
I had a great time in Lagos, Nigeria last week participating in a roundtable meeting between journalists and CSOs on ensuring good governance and accountability through research\/data-driven and investigative reporting.<\/p>\n
The Right to Information remains an essential tool for journalists and citizens to ensuring accountability in governance, however, for various reasons it is not given the due recognition and impetus.<\/p>\n
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In Ghana the bill is over 17 years old, going in and out of parliament despite a supposed commitment by successive governments. In Nigeria, it took 11 years to have it passed into law, but enforcement is a major challenge, especially because the media seem highly polarized and the work of journalists is somewhat undermined by the high commercialization of news and direct influences of owners.<\/p>\n
Despite the shortcoming; ie. The non-existence of a Right to Information law, the media in Ghana is playing an active role in ensuring good governance; independently, and through collaboration with credible CSOs, although more can still be done.<\/p>\n