Chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Area, Hon. Jaro Egbo, has charged community publishers to uphold professionalism and responsibility in their reporting, warning that misinformation has the power to destroy lives, communities, and public trust.
Egbo made the appeal while playing host to some community newspaper publishers led by the Senior Special Advisor to the Governor on Community Newspaper, Prince Oromonokpaye at his office in Ughelli.
According to him, misinformation remains one of the most dangerous threats to society.
He lamented the growing trend of sensational and unchecked reports circulating across social media and online platforms, noting that many tragic incidents in Nigeria have gone unreported or misreported due to the failure of journalists and content creators to verify facts before publishing.
“Information properly used or misused can change lives,” Egbo said. “People have lost their lives without proper reports. Citing the EndSars era, he said It was roughly unreported. If those stories were handled responsibly, the outcome would have been different.”
He expressed frustration over how easily unverified claims, including inflated figures and false allegations, spread online without scrutiny.
He urged media practitioners to embrace integrity, accuracy, and professionalism, stressing that their role in society is critical.
“You have a duty to fact-check before publishing,” he cautioned. “Some people believe anything negative. But if your platform publishes it, people will assume it is credible. That is why you must uphold your responsibility.”
Egbo also advised journalists to engage more with public offices and verify stories directly from credible sources like the council’s information department.
The Chairman highlighted the council’s ongoing infrastructural projects, including the modern security architecture being built in the local government, which he described as “a statement of what governance should be.”
“When we commission that project, it will speak for us,” he said. “It is not about how many press releases you issue. Let your work speak.”
On his part, Oromonokpaye commended the Chairman for delivering on the MORE Agenda of the state governor.
