Editors proffer solution to ethno-religious crisis

This is contained in a communiqué signed jointly by the President of the Guild, Mr Gbenga Adefaye and Mr Femi Adesina,  the Chairman of Conference Committee of the  7th All Nigeria Editors conference held in Benin City, Edo State, from September 21 to 24, 2011. The Guild said using residency to determine the rights of […]

This is contained in a communiqué signed jointly by the President of the Guild, Mr Gbenga Adefaye and Mr Femi Adesina,  the Chairman of Conference Committee of the  7th All Nigeria Editors conference held in Benin City, Edo State, from September 21 to 24, 2011.

The Guild said using residency to determine the rights of citizens would  be a vital step towards avoiding sectarian crises that often arise from indigene/settler dichotomy.

“Indigene/settler dichotomy which stokes the fire of ethno-religious violence is against our constitution. Residency should determine the rights and privileges of the citizens,” the Guild said in a communiqué following its 7th Conference which took place in Benin, capital of Edo State.

Among several instances, the recurring unrest in once peaceful Jos, which has claimed several human lives and made many more homeless has its base in the infamous indigene/settler dichotomy between ‘native Jos citizens’ and ‘settler’ Hausa residents.

On insecurity around the country, the communiqué said it is a major threat to the nation’s democracy and the general wellbeing of the polity and urged President Goodluck Jonathan and the security agencies to be determined in tackling insecurity and protecting lives and property.

The communiqué added that, “Dialogue should be employed where necessary while criminal breach of security should be punished.”

The communiqué called for the strengthening of all democratic institutions, organs and machinery by all stakeholders to achieve the desire of sustainable democracy.

It stated that poverty, illiteracy, injustice and fraudulent elections constitute great threats to  democracy and urged government to eradicate them.

It said there was an appreciable improvement in the conduct of the 2011 elections and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  to strive to achieve best practices in the electoral process.

“The Local Government as the third tier of government should remain but must be strengthened by expunging the vexatious sections of the constitution that list them while the states should be given full powers to legislate on the structure, composition and administration of council areas,” the communiqué stated. .

It added, “The high cost of governance in Nigeria which invariably hobbles the deepening of democracy in the country is avoidable and all tiers of government should work assiduously towards reducing it drastically.”

The Guild of Editors urged it’s members to “always probe beyond the advertised purpose of any policy  initiative to ensure that they are in the interest of the people,” to “be on the vanguard of promoting National Unity and integration,” and to “deny access to those who seek to use the media to fan embers of ethnicity and divisive politics.”

The Communiqué said the Guild noted the ‘transformational’ programmes of Governor Adams Oshiomhole and urged the Governor to keep it up.