PREMIUM TIMES TRAINS CAMPUS JOURNALISTS
The training was handled by nine facilitators with focus on the need for accountability journalism and the roles journalists play in achieving accountability in the Nigerian system, and these roles include monitoring the procurement processes and impact review.
Penpushing further reports that, the students were trained on diverse issues regarding accountability journalism such as introduction to investigative journalism; use of spreadsheet and Freedom of Information; procurement processes; ethics and values in journalism; multimedia journalism, amongst others.
The publisher of, Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi in his remark encouraged the participants to take charge of the future as they are the ones”who will revive failing journalism in Nigeria as it is in a crisis”.
Penushing also reports that, a project officer at UDEME, Loveleen Okereke on her part said she was optimistic that at the end of the training, the participants would be able to integrate all the knowledge gained.
Her words, “It also afforded UDEME the avenue to train young journalists on how effectively they can hold public officers accountable and the knowledge acquired here is not gotten in everyday classrooms,”.
Penpushing further reports that, one of the participants from Lagos State University, Oluwakemi Adelagun expressed joy about the training, stressing that it ”was very impactful and very practical. I have learnt how to analyse budget documents which in turn helps me hold public officers accountable,” .
Similarly, another participating students, Emmanuel Kwapyil, from the University of Jos, explained how the training ”has met and beat his expectations”, adding, ’for me, the training has achieved its aim. It will also bring about a journalistic revolution.”
Penpushing reports that, UDEME is a social accountability project of Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism(PTCIJ) which primarily monitors projects nominated in the budget: capital, constituency and ecological projects, and has monitored projects in about 15 States of the federation.
