The National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC), also known as the Media Ombudsman, on Monday, directed the Daily Trust newspaper to write a formal apology following inaccuracies in its report on the Samoa Agreement, which suggested the deal included provisions relating to LGBTQ+ rights. The verdict was the first to be delivered by the Media Ombudsman,
The National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC), also known as the Media Ombudsman, on Monday, directed the Daily Trust newspaper to write a formal apology following inaccuracies in its report on the Samoa Agreement, which suggested the deal included provisions relating to LGBTQ+ rights.
The verdict was the first to be delivered by the Media Ombudsman, chaired by Mr. Emeka Izeze, former Managing Director of the Guardian newspapers. The Commission was inaugurated in April 2023 to bolster public trust in the media as a reliable gauge of public sentiment.
On 10 July 2024, the Nigerian government officially complained about a Daily Trust article concerning the Samoa Agreement. The complaint was filed by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
The NNMC on Monday, in a 19-page report that was made available to the press on Tuesday, acknowledged the newspaper’s engagement with an issue of significant national importance but stressed that its journalistic standards fell short of the Revised Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists, 2022.
The NMCC’s report found the Daily Trust article, published on 4 July 2024 to be inaccurate, particularly in its claims that the Samoa Agreement contained clauses relating to LGBTQ+ rights.
The Media Ombudsman noted that, while earlier drafts of the agreement had included contentious references to sexual orientation and gender identity, the final 403-page document did not contain such provisions.
According to NMCC, the Daily Trust report was noted to have violated Article 2.1 of the 2022 Revised Code of Journalism Ethics, which mandates accuracy in reporting.
The Commission directed the newspaper to apologise both in print and online and to take internal steps to ensure a recurrence is prevented.
The NMCC, however, faulted the federal government in its handling of information about the Samoa Agreement.
The commission argued that the controversy might have been avoided if the government had been more open and proactive in communicating with the public.
According to the report: “The federal government’s lack of openness and failure to proactively engage the public on the Samoa Agreement created an environment of uncertainty and speculation,” adding that: “transparency and accountability are essential for maintaining public trust”.
According to the Commission, the government should have informed the Nigerian public of the agreement’s contents shortly after signing, and that greater transparency would have alleviated much of the confusion surrounding the deal.
The NMCC’s findings emphasised the need for improved public communication from government institutions, particularly on matters of national importance.
The Media Ombudsman warned that secrecy in governance can erode public trust and deepen suspicion. The NMCC said: “Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable elements of democratic governance. In this digital age, proactive information dissemination should be the standard across all government offices. The prevailing culture of secrecy must be abolished to foster greater public confidence”.
The NMCC urged the government to adopt a more open and transparent approach to governance, particularly in its international dealings.
The report called for all tiers of government to ensure that information of public interest is made readily available to citizens.
