NO fewer than 32 journalists have been trained and equipped with the tools and resources needed to effectively report on the natural resources sector as a means for sustainable development.
The journalists in three-day virtual training organised by The Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) were taught how to improve reporting around the natural resources sector.
According to Akintunde Babatunde, the PTCIJ’s Manager of the Natural Resources and Extractive Programme, “The training is an opportunity for journalists to improve the reporting of the sector by submitting story ideas they intend to execute while PTCIJ will support them with small grants, data and other resources to ensure the successful execution of story ideas in the sector.”
“As a follow-up to their training, PTCIJ will prepare a policy brief which will speak to the findings of the respective journalists, as well as provide policy recommendations to drive development within the Natural Resources and Extractives sector,” Babatunde added.
He noted that PTCIJ was deeply committed to driving accountability and development in Nigeria through the vehicle of journalism.
“We hope to strengthen this commitment through this Natural Resources and Extractive Reporting Project,” he said.
Speaking on the first day of the training, Dapo Olorunyomi, the Executive Director of PTCIJ said the idea for the Natural Resource Journalism was to promote public dialogue on natural resources issues through programmes that inform, empower and inspire better journalism.
The training follows the organisation’s initial call for entries and 32 journalists from online, print and electronic (Television and Radio) media were selected across diverse newsrooms in Nigeria.
'Niyi worked with The ICIR as an Investigative Reporter and Fact-checker from 2020 till September 2022. You can shoot him an email via niyioyedeji1@gmail.com. You can as well follow him on Twitter via @niyi_oyedeji.