By Ameh Ejekwonyilo
Abuja
The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Abuja, has announced that it is embarking on a project that would help journalists across newsrooms in the country to conduct investigative reports on issues of transparency, accountability and good governance.
The project, its Executive Director, Dayo Aiyetan, said, would involve providing training for up to 40 Nigerian journalists over a two year period as well as making available to them necessary funds to undertake investigative projects.
He said: “The project, which commences in April, is open to practicing journalists in print, electronic and new/digital media. Freelance reporters who are interested in investigative journalism can also partake in the project as long as they have a guarantee of getting their reports published in a news outlet.
“Editors of newspaper would be required to nominate candidates for the training exercise scheduled for May, but nominees have to go through a screening process to qualify.”
He said the two-year training programme “is broken into four modules and would incorporate the whole gamut of Investigative Journalism training that would equip participants to practise anywhere in the world.”
“First, we want to bridge the training gap in the Nigerian media, particularly as regards Investigative Journalism; and build a crop of committed, competent and well trained professionals doing critical reporting that can have an impact on good governance. But we also realised that we need to help the cash strapped newsrooms in which these journalists work with the resources to do serious investigative reporting.”
The project is funded by Ford Foundation, an international body that supports visionary leaders and organisations on the frontlines of social change, worldwide.
