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Communique Issued after A 2-Day training for Journalists on Humanitarian Crisis Reporting

Humanitarian Crisis Training

This Communique was issued after a two-day virtual training for Journalists on Humanitarian Crisis Reporting organised by ActionAid Nigeria from June 22-25, 2020 as part of the implementation of the Strengthening Citizens Resistance Against Prevalence of Corruption (SCRAP-C) project. The training was attended by 39 journalists from Lagos, Kano, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Kaduna, Borno and FCT as well as representatives of civil society organisations. 

Modules include; Handling Uncertainties in Crisis Communication, Understanding and Covering the Risk During a Pandemic, Managing Panic in a Pandemic, Tips on How to Cover a Pandemic, Outbreak Communication: How the Sources See the Story, Staying Safe, Staying in Business; Covering a global health crisis with your smartphone.

OBSERVATIONS

Participants recognised that:

  1. While the media have been involved in the coverage of COVID-19 response in the country, only very little has been done to show how the pandemic is affecting the lives of the average Nigerian.
  2. The media and journalists lack the requisite tools to cope with the challenges and new realities thrown up by the pandemic, a situation that has made many journalists rely on the dry statistics daily churned out by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, the Presidential Task Force and the task forces in the states across the country.
  3. While there are no known protocols barring journalists from revealing the identities of persons recovering or affected by COVID-19 in Nigeria, state actors and politicians have continued to keep the information away from members of the public. Reference was made to the New York Times that published all the names of persons who have contracted the virus, those who recovered and those who succumbed to it. 
  4. Media organisations in Nigeria are yet to properly adjust to the new realities of operating in the COVID-19 environment, including the adoption of containment protocols into operational systems and provision of PPE and specialised gadgets for reporters. 
  5. Human interest angles in the reportage of the COVID-19 realities in the country are still largely unexplored by journalists.
  6. The strategy adopted by the PTF, NCDC and task forces at the state levels in handling the COVID-19 response plan has created doubt in the minds of not only members of the public but also among journalists in the country.
  7. There has been inadequate training for journalists in Nigeria as far as COVID-19 reportage is concerned.
  8. The accountability and transparency mechanisms in the Federal and state governments’ COVID-19 spending do not factor in information sharing with the public.
  9. While majority of journalists in the country are forced to take pay cuts without requisite insurance coverage, media owners have compelled them to work longer and under situations which may expose them to the dreaded coronavirus.

RECOMMENDATIONS

At the end of the training, participants resolved that Journalists should: 

  • Strive to dig deeper into the story behind the data and find answers to the many unanswered questions in the minds of Nigerians on COVID-19; apart from relaying on updates from government sources, concerned agencies and health care professionals at the frontlines, journalists also should probe further to uncover facts regarding the novel coronavirus disease to keep citizens better informed.
  • Live with the realities imposed by COVID19 by deploying new strategies to execute their work; engage in investigative reporting, write more local stories and provide the human angle to every report. 
  • Realise that they are also vulnerable to the coronavirus and should, therefore, ensure they do not become the news in the course of duty by observing all known safety protocols.
  • Learn to apply psychological first aid to members of the public through their stories, be mindful of their storytelling approach while reporting COVID19. The essence of news report in a pandemic is to inform, educate and restore hope, not fear.

Media Owners should:

  • Provide adequate incentives as well as other protective gears for Reporters going out to cover stories. Salaries should be paid when due to encourage productivity.
  • Explore new business models and sustainability strategies in the face of dwindling advert revenue. 

Government and relevant MDAs should:

  • Look inward; work with scientists and researchers while also paying attention to alternative medicine.
  • Take steps to publish names and locations of persons who have recovered and or succumb to the pandemic as part of measures to make the public believe COVID-19 is real but can be treated.
  • Respect the provisions of the FOI Act and provide journalists relevant information they need for their reports; this includes information on sources of funding and their expenditure.
  • Work more closely with Civil Society Organisations, faith-based groups, the media and local communities in the implementation of response plans and processes.

CSOs and NGOs should:

  • Continue to scale up advocacy on transparency and accountability in the application of COVID-19 funds and programmes.
  • Work closely with the media particularly on capacity building as ActionAid Nigeria has done; so, as to equip reporters with the necessary skills needed to cope with the new normal brought about by the pandemic.

This communique was jointly endorsed by representatives of organisations present.

  1. Premium Times
  2. Guardian
  3. TVC News
  4. Blueprint
  5. Pilot
  6. FRCN
  7. Nigerian Tribune
  8. BUK FM Kano
  9. BBC News
  10. CoolWazobiaInfo
  11. Daily Trust
  12. Vanguard
  13. AIT
  14. NAN
  15. Thisday
  16. Abuja Inquirer
  17. Dream 92.5FM Enugu
  18. Comfort 95.1 FM
  19. Vision FM
  20. Guarantee Radio Kano
  21. Silverbird TV
  22. Punch
  23. Daily Independent
  24. The Sun
  25.  Lagoscityreporters.com
  26. Solid 100.9 FM Enugu
  27. Express Radio
  28.  Inspiration 105.9 FM Uyo
  29. Kano State Radio Corporation
  30. The Cable Newspaper
  31.  Arm Forces Radio
  32.  Vanguard
  33. NTA
  34.  SundiataPost Media
  35. Dotunroy.com
  36. Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI)
  37.  Journalist Against Poverty (JAP)
  38.  International Centre for Investigative Reporting.
  39.  Next Edition Newspaper
  40.   ActionAid Nigeria

 

CONTACT

Lola Ayanda, Communications Coordinator | Nihinlola.ayanda@actionaid.org

Twitter: @lola_ayanda | +2348099101428 | Skype: Nihinlola.1