By Richard Elesho
Journalists have been charged to pay deserved attention to disability reporting, in order to continue to serve as voice for people with special needs.
The charge was given by a media Consultant, Mr Anselm Okolo, at a training workshop for journalists in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital on Thursday.
The training programme was organised by Stallion Times in collaboration with Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, with support from Mac Arthur Foundation. It is part of the Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve Project, G-IDIP of the organization aimed at enhancing Participatory Governance and Media Literacy.
Okolo said journalists must be focused, listen, and knowledgeable before they can write impactful stories on People with Disabilities, PwDs. He urged them to guide against reports that will end up stigmatising people with special needs.
“What you do as journalists is important, sensitive and difficult. What you do is very important to the society. To succeed in journalism practice therefore, you must be hardworking and be ready to even go extra miles. Your job is not for unintelligent people,” Okolo admonished.
Earlier, facilitator of the program and Editor in Chief of Stallion Times, Ihaku Ahmed called attention to the plight PwDs and their lack of media coverage. He said journalists have vast issues and areas to explore in Disability Reporting.
Ishaku said while some people are born with physical challenges, others suffer disabilities from varying life challenges like accidents, fire disasters and violence, emphasizing that any one can become victim of disability.
“Let us pay attention to these issues, because at the end of the day we are all affected one way or the other. We must bear in mind the strength people have and display in disabilities.”
One of the participants, Ishaq Imam of Voice of Nigeria commended the organisers of the workshop, noting that PwDs often suffer low rating and stigmatization from the society.
The physically challenged journalist identified education, job placement and marriage as areas PwDs are marginalised and called for inclusive government policies and societal attitudes to correct the trend.
Another participant with sight impairment and employee of Radio Kogi, Solomon called on governments at all levels to make and implement laws for the protection and welfare of PwDs
