By patricia.ngevao@awokonewspaper.sl
Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Independent Media Commission (IMC) has launched two statutory instruments for media practitioners and institutions.
The instruments; ‘Print and Electronic Media Regulations, and Elections Coverage Reporting Regulations,’ which were launched on the 27th of March 2023, at the Radisson Blu conference Hall in Aberdeen, are a call on Journalists to uphold the ethics of the profession.
Giving an overview of the instruments, Reverend Father Victor Suma explained that the 2020 IMC Act gave birth to the need to develop the said instruments, intimating that equally related to it was the need to improve and bring out clearly the regulations for the conduct of journalists within elections.
In his statement, the Chairman of IMC, Victor Massaquoi, advised journalists to read, understand and apply the two documents because 95% of the contents in those documents came from media practitioners. He furthered that journalists in the execution of their professional duty must not allow anyone to via them off the course of self for their selfish interest.
In addition, the National Coordinator for the Independent Radio Network (IRN), Ransford Wright, emphasized strict implementation of the regulation particularly the election regulations. “Implementation is key. In an environment where you have political journalists and desperate politicians, I implore IMC to note that implementation is fair across the board as they are on the spotlight. I urge IMC to speedily popularize these documents not only to practicing journalists but also politicians, private and security sector,” he said.
The President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, described media practitioners as strategic partners in achieving credible elections, and urged them to brace up to be catalyst of transparent electoral processes that will entrench free, fair and peaceful elections, with maximum compliance to the regulatory frameworks. He appealed to the electoral body and political parties to give Journalists an enabling environment to project credible reporting of the electoral processes by providing them with timely information on their activities and the election timetables.
Nasralla went on to caution media practitioners and institutions to do their work in a more professional manner, stressing that SLAJ as an Association will not entertain any recklessness from media practitioners or institutions. Hence, he advised them to fact- check stories to avoid unfortunate cases.
The Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swarray, in his keynote address said the documents gives practice direction and self-evaluation to Journalists and media organizations on what to focus on during elections that will enable their work make impact on strengthening democracy.
“The press as the fourth estate of the realm has much to do in setting an agenda that would promote the peace and stability of the country,” the Minister added.
Journalists and representatives of media houses who attended the event commenced the popularization of both documents by being discussants on perspectives and trends in media coverage of elections. PSN/29/3/2023
