Corruption fight needs media support-PS

Corruption fight needs media support-PS

Luwingu, 26 September, 2014, ZANIS– Government says corruption is a complex crime that demands  the concerted efforts of stakeholders including the media to help eradicate it.

ZANIS reports that Northern Province permanent secretary Hlobota Nkunika said this during the official opening of a media workshop held at Kasama lodge yesterday that corruption if not checked could increase poverty and crime levels.

He said corruption also leads to poor service delivery both in the public and private sectors especially in infrastructure development.

Mr Nkunika said it was the duty of media to be fully equipped with skills to contribute effectively to the fight against corruption by ensuring that corrupt related actions are reported if the country is to attain maximum development.

He said that the media has a pivotal role to play in the fight against corruption in any society.

“I believe it is by equipping journalists with the necessary skills and knowledge of the complexity of corruption as well as enhancing understanding of the legal framework for fighting corruption in Zambia,”, he added.

Mr Nkunika said that by equipping journalists with skills the citizens and organisations would be better informed about the dangers of corruption and what they should do in order to counter it.

The permanent secretary further said Patriotic Front (PF) government was committed to the fight against corruption in the country and that it will continue to devise and implement strategies and initiatives aimed at confronting the scourge.

Mr Nkunika said that the government will continue to render support to the anti-corruption commission and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that corruption was eradicated.

“The fight against corruption in Zambia is undoubtedly on the right track and we as citizens must do even more to ensure that the levels of corruption in our country are significantly reduced,” he said.

Mr Nkunika said government recognized the media because it plays an enormous role in public awareness and accountability through monitoring and investigating the actions of people entrusted with public resources in order to safe guard the interest of the nation.

He noted that the public has a mammoth reliance on the media because it exposes corrupt related activities and other interesting stories.

He appealed to the journalists country wide to effectively discharge their watchdog and awareness-raising to ensure that the levels of corruption are significantly reduced.

And Northern Province anti-corruption acting regional manager Lackson Daka said the media is a major actor in disseminating information to members of the public.

Mr Daka said that it was through the media reports that action can be taken against corruption adding that would be offenders are also stopped from replicating corrupt actions for fear of public exposure and humiliation.

The workshop drew participants from Times of Zambia, district information officers from Zambia news and information services (ZANIS), agriculture and information services national (NAIS), Radio Mano of Kasama and Radio Walamo of Mpulungu.

The aim of the workshop was to equip journalists with corruption reporting and investigating journalism skills.