Hargeisa, (HargeisaPress) — The public media has been directed and ordered to up-hold and step-up its diligence and to exercise impartiality as they go about their duties.
The information minister who also holds the national guidance and cultural portfolios Hon. Osman Abdillahi Sahardid Adani who gave the directive to the public media journalists at the ministry’s headquarters also underscored the need to adhere to the professional ethics and codes of conduct and associated etiquettes in the industry.
Given that the Presidential election is around the corner, the minister emphasized by reminding the scribes that it was imperative that the diligence should be stepped up even more during the electioneering campaigns.
He announced that the staff would be assigned to various political parties hence impartial, unpartisan, factual, authentic and verifiable articles that are devoid of malice is what is thereof expected as per cue.
Saying that he would soon hold a similar meeting with the fourth estate’s private sector, Hon. Adani noted that the local national news agency (SOLNA) will have its chores on the double such that they would have to produce items feeding the television, radio and newspaper sectional services.
The minister likewise stressed that the agency would have to work round the clock in two main shifts hence have its news over-due desk-gathering roll-out.
On the same note he said that the news that is therefore produced and collated have to be fast, swift and as current as they come.
He appealed to the institutions that shall have correspondents assigned to them to co-operate with the scribes as per expectations.
The ministry’s Director General Mr. Hassan Omar Hori echoed the need for impartially, “especially given the fact that the minister shall soon have to be signatory to a tripartite code of conduct rule with the National Electoral Commission and the local journalists association”.
Radio Hargeisa chief Mohammed Said Muhummed on his part noted that the meeting on the need of stepping up diligence has come at an opportune time hence coincided with the normal monthly meetings held at the ministry headquarters.
Khaddar Akulle who heads the Somaliland National Television (SLNTV) similarly appeald to the staff to be as productive as they were during the recent public mobilization exercises of helping each other during the droughts that incapacitated the country, the meeting was attended by most of the senior staff.
By M.A. Egge