Make truth the watchword of your reportage - Ray Ekpu

A Veteran Journalist and doyen of Print journalism, Mr. Ray Ekpu has cautioned journalists to ensure that their reports are based on truth to earn credibility and patronage.

Mr. Ray Ekpu, stated this, Monday 30th November, 2020, while drilling Information Officers during the break out session for staff interested in developing their career along the line of print Journalism, as part of activities for the staff Capacity Development Seminar, organized by the Ministry of Information and Strategy at Watbridge Hotels, IBB Way, Uyo.

The veteran journalist who was one of the erudite Resource Persons invited to coach the State Government Information Officers on the "Rudiments of reporting a good story", said credible and authentic reports are what members of the society want to read, disclosing that, consistent falsehood by pubishers lead to destruction of such publications.

Ekpu who was accompanied during the training session by a CNN Award winning Journalist, Ibanga Isine, said, a good report which must have three basic segments including: the Introduction, (intro), body and Conclusion(end) needs indepth research from all parties involved to make it authentic enough to attract readers attention.

The doyen who has worked at different times at the Ministry of Information, Sokoto, the Nigerian Chronicle, where he rose to the position of the Editor-in-chief, the Daily Times and Newswatch magazine, said, in this era of Technology, a journalist must be well versed with happenings around him stressing that, a journalist must be the "first to know" especially in this era of media convergence of the 21st century.

He particularly advised government Information Officers not to see lying as Ethical while protecting government from missiles of the public but urged them to endeavour to report government from the human angle of projects and Programmes undertaken for the benefits of the people.

Among participants at the break out session were the Dean of Directors and Director of Technical Services, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mrs. Blessing Urua, the Director of Public Relations, Mrs. Grace Akpan and the Editor, Daily of the Pioneer and National Secretary of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Comrade Helen Udofa, among others.