Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has urged members of the media to embrace professionalism, including putting forward national interest as they discharge their duties.
He said, while reporting, journalists should use their pen in stimulating the economy as well as publishing achievements that the government has recorded so far.
Mr Majaliwa also noted the importance of maintaining and upholding peace, unity and tranquility that are key for a country’s economic growth.
The Premier made the statements yesterday during an event to handover the Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania (EJAT) for the year 2021.
Mr Majaliwa, who was representing President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the event, said the government is well committed to work closely with members of the media in pushing forward national development.
“The government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan is ready to continue working closely with media. Moreover we shall also continue providing all the needed cooperation for the media to fully implement its duties,” noted Mr Majaliwa.
However, he insisted on the importance of media practitioners to continue adhering to journalism ethics and codes of conducts by also avoiding publishing seditious articles.
“You have to stick to professionalism, putting forward national interest… the government values the contribution of the media in educating and informing the public on various issues,” he said.
Mr Majaliwa noted that the media have a crucial role of informing the public on government plans, strategies and initiatives on bringing development in the country.
He said the government is taking measures to promote press freedom in the country, whereas recently, it restored the licences of four newspapers that were revoked for violations of journalistic ethics and laws.
The government also lifted a ban on all online television channels that were banned from operation, but insisted that they should adhere to the country’s laws and regulations.
Mr Majaliwa also spoke of achievements that have been recorded by the administration of President Samia during her first year in office.
“A lot has been recorded; most of all is the increase in the number of investments, tourists and foreign direct investments,” he added.
Going by the report by the World Bank, in 2020, Tanzania received a total investment amounting to 1bn US dollars.
Also the statistics by Tanzania Investment Centre TIC shows that between March 2021 and February 2022, the country registered a total of 294 projects that created 62,000 jobs.
“All these have occurred despite challenges brought by Covid-19 pandemic that had hit the global economy,” noted the Premier.
Earlier on, the Minister for Information, Communications and Information Technology Nape Nnauye said the government will start supporting issuance of the journalism awards in the coming years.
“The government will provide its support for the award to become sustainable for the coming years, this is a good initiative that needs to be supported by all means,” noted the minister.
During the event, a veteran journalist Ndimara Tigambwage received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism following his remarkable contribution in the industry.
For his part, Chairman of the EJAT organising committee who is the Executive Secretary of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) Kajubi Mukajanga said 60 journalists were selected for the 2021 awards.
Some of the categories featured in the EJAT 2021 included Business, Economy and Finance Award, Culture and Sports Reporting award, Health Reporting award, Agriculture and Agri – business Reporting Award and Education Reporting Award.
Others were, Tourism and Conservation Reporting Award, Taxation and Revenue Collection Reporting Award, Investigative Reporting Award, Data Journalism Award as well as Human Rights and Good Governance Reporting Award.
A list also featured Best photo journalist Award, Best cameraman Award, Best Editorial Cartoonist Award, Gender and Youths Reporting Award, Elderly Reporting Award, Children Reporting Award, Oil, Gas and Mining governance Reporting Award, Science and Technology as well as the Open Category Award.
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