Dr. Joseph Lengmang DG Plateau Peace Building Agency

By Daniel Dauda, Jos


Director General of Plateau Peace, PPBA, Dr. Joseph Lengmang has charged media organizations to prioritize more attention on peace Journalism as a means of overcoming the vicious circle of violence in the society.

Lengmang said Journalists who owns a Constitutional responsibility of setting agenda in educating the public in shaping and moulding opinions should not allowed the aim to be defeated.

The peace building agency DG, made the acknowledgement during an interactive session to mark 21st September 2021 International Day of peace at Crest Hotel Jos the state capital on Tuesday.

The 2021 world Peace Day had a theme: The quest for sustainable peace and justice 'wither the media'.

Lengmang opines that one of the things the agency are doing is to reach out to wide range of stakeholders. "And honestly today we're fortunate enough to have conversation with one of the critical stakeholders in the Plateau Peace Building Agency which is the media. 

"Being the international world day of peace which is recognize all over the world, 21st September to bring this stakeholders together to reflect on the intersection between justice and peace,  and of course we asked the question  what is the role media is playing to address some of the issues in Plateau and considering the role they played in setting agenda in educating the public in shaping and moulding opinions.

"The media overtime has been one of the reliable platform the peace building agency have been using to dish out messages of peace and to also foster the kind of mutual understanding and cooperation that is required to transform our situation here on the Plateau. And it has been a ward wild engagement. 

"So much take away from the media and I think hopefully it has also become the basis upon which the peace building agency itself going forward can develop an intervention framework from the issues that came out from today's discussion." The DG stated.

He further explain that "in terms of conversation with the public, peace Journalism should become a priority. I think it could play central role in dusting down and clearing misperception, misrepresentation and misconstruction because of the over reaching consequences in our on going peace building process in Plateau state.

"As peace building agency our roles begins and ends where there is restorative justice and setting the agenda for peace through healing, through forgiveness, through reconciliation, through dialogue and sensitization on peace education.

"We also believe strongly that there is a limit to how far we can go so long as the legal framework is involved. That is why we invited the Attorney general and commissioner of Justice of Plateau State to come and shed some light on some of those grey areas where people thought Government have not responded effectively to the challenges of peace and security particularly the dispense of justice.

"Having such kind of conversation today is value addition and going forward will cleared some misperception and put our heads together and each and every one of us making his/her contribution in deepening the peace and break the conflict trap in Plateau state."

The occasion which had an interactive session anchored by Steve Aluko featured Mr. Paul Jatau Chairman NUJ Plateau State Council, Mr. Yakubu Taddy director of news and current affairs department PRTVC, Mr. Yemi Kosoko from Channels TV, Pomsat Pennap Jay-FM, Bello Lukeman Unity FM, Samson Omale Silver bird FM alongside  others as penal of discussants.

The penalize noted that media as a gatekeeper should demonstrate high sense of professionalism by critically assessing the information before dishing out to public domain.

They called on Government officials to desist from feeding Journalists with falsehood information.

They equally charged security operatives to always discharge their sole responsibility with high sense of decorum to avoid reoccurrence of extra judicious killings in the state, noting that " our common humanity matters".

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of information and communication, Hon. Dan Mangjan applaud Journalists for a robust relationship as he urged them to continue setting the right agenda to the populace.

"Performed your constitutional role in line with the tenants of the profession," Dan Mangjan noted.