PTCIJ trains campus journalists

A three-day training organised by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) via its UDEME project on basics of journalism for campus journalists ended on Wednesday.

The event which was held from April 1-3 in Abuja had in attendance 20 students selected from eight universities across the country.

The Universities are the University of Ibadan, University of Uyo, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Bayero University Kano, Federal University Oye Ekiti, Obafemi Awolowo University, Lagos State University, and the University of Jos.

Nine facilitators trained the participants on the need for accountability journalism and the roles journalists play in achieving accountability in the Nigerian system.

These roles include monitoring the procurement processes and impact review.

The participants were trained on diverse issues regarding accountability journalism such as introduction to investigative journalism; use of spreadsheet and Freedom of Information; procurement processes; ethics and values in journalism; multimedia journalism, amongst others.

Dapo Olorunyomi, the publisher, PREMIUM TIMES, implored the participants to take charge of the future as they are the ones ”who will revive failing journalism in Nigeria as it is in a crisis”.

Loveleen Okereke, a project officer at UDEME, said she hopes that at the end of the training, the participants would be able to integrate all the knowledge gained.

“It also afforded UDEME the avenue to train young journalists on how to effectively they can hold public officers accountable and the knowledge acquired here is not gotten in everyday classrooms,” she said.

Oluwakemi Adelagun, a participant from Lagos State University, said the training ”was very impactful and very practical”.

”I have learnt how to analyse budget documents which in turn helps me hold public officers accountable,” she said.

Emmanuel Kwapyil, another participant from the University of Jos, narrated how the training ”has met and beat his expectations”.

“For me, the training has achieved its aim. It will also bring about a journalistic revolution.”

UDEME is a social accountability project of PTCIJ which primarily monitors projects nominated in the budget: capital, constituency and ecological projects. UDEME has monitored projects in about 15 states.