Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, Comrade Grace Ike, has called for deeper collaboration between the media, civil society organizations, and parliament to strengthen oversight of public debt and improve accountability in Nigeria.
Delivering a paper at the 11th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (WAAPAC) on Tuesday in Abuja, organized by the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Ike described the media as a vital watchdog and mirror of society.
She warned that the impact of parliamentary oversight, especially by PAC, would remain limited without the active involvement of journalists.
“The media acts as an intermediary between parliament, government institutions and the public. Public awareness is necessary, and how can we achieve this if not through information sharing and capacity building?” she said.
Ike emphasized the need for continuous training of journalists to enhance their understanding of audit processes, debt management, and legislative oversight. She proposed periodic workshops, roundtables, and joint briefings with Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) and civil society groups.
While commending PAC Chairman, Hon. Bamidele Salam, for his openness to the press, Ike urged for more structured engagement, suggesting that a comprehensive training for parliamentary correspondents be held before the end of the 10th Assembly.
She also underscored the importance of investigative and undercover journalism in exposing corruption and mismanagement, stressing the need for adequate resources, specialized skills, and access to audit reports and data.
“Investigative journalism is not easy. It requires funding, time and skills. We need to train journalists who can confidently carry out undercover reporting on public accounts and debt management. This will ensure we provide accurate information, not misinformation, at a time when fake news dominates social media,” she stated.
The NUJ FCT Chairman further urged the media and CSOs to embark on joint sensitization campaigns to educate citizens about public debt and their right to demand accountability, while also advocating policy reforms that strengthen parliamentary oversight.
Concluding, Ike stressed that effective debt oversight must be seen as a collective responsibility of parliament, civil society, and the media.
“As gatekeepers of information, the media stands ready to work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure citizens are empowered, public resources are protected, and sustainable development is achieved,” she affirmed.
