Apex Media Monitors

By Raji Rasaq New findings have revealed The Guardian , Nigeria, was ahead of other newspapers the during the 2019 general election, having published the highest number of reports on women. According to a new report from an on-going media survey being conducted by the International Press Centre (IPC ), Lagos, 174 reports were published on women issues, out of which The Guardian published the highest of 3 0 reports, representing 17.24%. The current findings were based on media reports on issues around women participation in the political and electoral process monitored and analysed between the periods representing the pre-election period (September-December, 2018), and during the election, (that is, between January-March, 2019). The IPC is undertaking a media survey in twelve national newspapers. The newspapers are The Punch, The Guardian, Daily Sun, Vanguard, ThisDay, Nigerian Tribune, The Nation, Leadership , Daily Trust, BluePrint (online version) , The Cable (pu...

By Raji Rasaq Many countries around the world have embraced the Freedom of Information Act (FoI Act) and have jettisoned the culture of secrecy in the ways governments conduct their businesses. It is no more a kind of luxury enjoyed only by a few persons in the corridors of power. In fact, there have been pieces of evidence that the adoption and use of the Act across the world have made significant impacts. According to Oxford Research Encyclopedia, studies have shown effects of FOI law on Great Britain with increased government transparency. The Encyclopedia adds that:       Another study found that FOI laws led to more open government personnel          management practices in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada         (Hazell,  1989 ). In India, civil society activists view FOI as a vital and           decentralized tool for transfo...

 By Raji Rasaq Nigerians face the threat of insecurity on a daily basis ranging from the kidnapping, banditry, killings, rituals, missing and disappearance of citizens among others. The most dangerous among these have been ineffective handlings and nonchalant attitude of the security personnel. At the wake of President Buhari's administration in 2015, news of herdsmen and farmers clashes made daily headlines in our media reports. Particularly in the Northern part of the country, these clashes wreaked havoc on local residents including youths and women. The backlash of these was the rising cases of the occupants of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across the country. Unfortunately, the government's efforts in tackling these issues have been dangerously inadequate as killings and loss of lives have continued unabated. For instance, kidnapping has become a money-spinning business for some unscrupulous persons who hide under the cover of the night and dangerous amm...

The International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos-Nigeria, has released (see the attached) a compilation  of  the campaign promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari in the course of electioneering activities for the 2019 general elections. Thirty (30) of such promises covering  pledges on specific and general issues of Road/Rail infrastructure, Education, Agriculture, Poverty Eradication and Inclusion of Youths/Women in government as well as the  fight against Corruption and Insecurity w ere documented. The documentation was done by IPC’s Media Monitoring Team, while the promises were derived from quoted statements of the President  in  The Nation , The Punch, Daily Sun, Daily Trust, Vanguard, This Day, Leadership  and  Nigerian  Tribune   newspapers  over a four-month period from November 2018 to February 2019. The specific sources were page 6, The  Nation  newspaper of Monday, November 19, 2018;  page 2,...