3 Chapter STRENGTHENING THE MEDIA IS A NATIONAL DUTY By Hon.Labaran Maku, Minister of State for Information and Communication I am highly honoured and delighted to be invited to make an opening remark on this auspicious occasion which brings together stakeholders in the media profession and industry to brainstorm with a view of developing a roadmap that will enhance journalists' welfare, professional standards, media independence and press freedom. As you are aware, the history of Nigeria will be incomplete without a chapter dedicated to the enviable role played by the press at various stages of the country's development. The media played a leading role in the struggle for independence from colonial rule, promotion of unity in the country after the civil war and the struggle against military dictatorship, which led to the democratic rule in the country. Indeed the Nigerian press has contributed tremendously to the cause of development of the country. In fact if there is any sector in Nigeria that has been a source of national pride, it is the press. As we march forward in consolidating our democracy, the press must continue to play its role as the watchdog of the society and governance in the accordance with chapter 11, sub-section 22 of the 1999 constitution to ensure good governance and national development. Freedom of expression and opinion, which is the fulcrum upon which the press revolves, is a universal human right. In Nigeria even under the various military dictatorships, the press thrived largely due to the fact that there were individuals and institutions which resisted military suppression of freedom of expression and association in the country. Ironically, according to the Reporters without Borders, more than a third of the world's population now live in countries where there is no press freedom. Overwhelming, these people live in countries where there is no system of democracy or where there is serious deficiencies in the democratic process. In a 2009 report by the Reporters without Borders, many Asian and African countries fell in that category.. Nigeria is now enjoying 11 th year of uninterrupted democratic rule, hence the need for stakeholders to critic ally re-access the performance of the press under democratic rule so as to identify challenges in order to surmount them. Generally the practice of press freedom is usually accompanied by the legislation to ensure various degrees of press freedom to gather and publish