All is now set for the celebration of the 2024 World Press Freedom Day in Rivers State as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, and the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Rivers State University (RSU) gear up for the event.
The day, which is celebrated annually to highlight the importance of press freedom and commemorate fallen journalists, will be held on Friday, May 3, 2024 at the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies Auditorium, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt. It will be declared open by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Nlerum S. Okogbule.
According to a joint statement by the State Secretary of NUJ, Ike Wigodo, and the Head of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at RSU, Professor Barigbon Nsereka, the NUJ and RSU have lined up an array of guest speakers for the occasion.
Professor Aniefiok Jackson Udoudo of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, University of Port Harcourt and Mr. Ignatius Chukwu, Regional Business Day Editor for the South-South and South East, will be sharing their insights and perspectives on journalism and environmental crisis.
Under the theme ,”A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis,” this year’s World Press Freedom Day aims to shed light on the critical role of journalism in addressing environmental issues. The event will also see the participation of officials from the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Joseph Johnson, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Rivers State, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environmental Sanitation, Hon Prince Obi Ohia, and various environmentalists.
The annual celebration of World Press Freedom Day serves as a platform for journalists, media professionals, and stakeholders to discuss and promote press freedom, which is essential for fostering transparency, accountability, and democracy.
The NUJ, Rivers State Council, and the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at RSU are looking forward to a successful and enlightening event that will further emphasize the importance of a free and responsible press.
