Media Practitioners Ask NUJ To Weed Out Quacks

Media practitioners have called on the Nigeria Union of journalists to regulate journalism profession with a view to eradicating quacks endangering the image of the profession.

In this special report, Correspondent, Chukwuemeka Modilim takes a look at the damages done to the profession by quacks and ways to arrest the ugly trend.

Quacks are unqualified and untrained persons practicing a profession.

It is evident in virtually all the professions in Nigeria but in journalism it is becoming increasingly worrisome as they do the greatest harm to the society and are likely to drive the qualified journalists out of business.

Commenting on this ugly development, a reporter with the Nations’ Newspaper Mr. Emma Elekwachi lamented that these quacks without platforms purvey fake news all in a bid to make quick money, thereby embarrassing the profession.

He called on the Nigeria Union of Journalists to sanitize the profession by arresting the perpetrators of this unwholesome act and punish them to serve as a deterrent to others.

In his reaction, a reporter with Daily Trust Newspaper Mr. Titus Eleweke noted that the advent of social media compounded the problem as quacks seat at the comfort of their homes giving out Information that has not been subjected to public scrutiny, which cause a lot of damage to the society.

He appealed to the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists to take proper stock of their registered and unregistered members with a view to eradicating quacks in journalism.

When contacted, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Anambra State Council Mr. Emma Ifesinachi disclosed that the Union has set up a committee saddled with the responsibility of apprehending quacks and hand them over to the law enforcement agency for disciplinary action.

Mr. Ifesinachi also revealed that the Union has started an academic programme with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University where people who wish to go into journalism but do not have the basic requirements are trained to enable them become practicing journalists, as part of efforts to check quackery.