The Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abdulhamid Salihu Dembos, has pledged stronger collaboration with the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) to deepen grassroots civic education, promote human rights and strengthen public accountability.
Dembos gave the assurance on Tuesday while receiving a CHRICED delegation on a courtesy visit to the NTA as part of activities marking the organisation’s 20th anniversary.
Represented by the Executive Director of Special Duties, Ibrahim Aliyu, the NTA Director-General congratulated CHRICED on its two decades of advocacy and acknowledged its contributions to civic awareness and amplifying the voices of marginalised citizens.
He noted that the NTA had consistently supported CHRICED and other non-governmental organisations by complementing their efforts in community mobilisation. He pledged to strengthen the partnership to ensure that more Nigerians receive relevant information and become better informed about issues affecting their lives.
In his remarks, the CHRICED Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, expressed appreciation to the NTA for its longstanding support, describing the media as an indispensable partner in the organisation’s pursuit of democracy, human rights and social justice.
Represented by CHRICED’s Vice-Chairperson of the Board, Dr. Ekaete Umoh, Zikirullahi said the organisation’s advocacy would not have achieved its visibility and reach without the media’s support.
“If CHRICED has had a voice over the last 20 years, it is because the media helped carry that voice across Nigeria. If our advocacy resonated beyond conference halls and project communities, it is because journalists amplified it,” he said.
Reflecting on CHRICED’s two decades of work, Zikirullahi said the organisation had collaborated with communities, government institutions, development partners, traditional leaders, youth groups, women’s organisations and the media to advance democratic participation and social justice.
He listed some of CHRICED’s interventions as advocacy for improved maternal healthcare, transparent funding of the Universal Basic Education Commission, inclusive Almajiri education, protection of the rights of Abuja’s Original Inhabitants, constituency project monitoring, accountability in public spending, protection of civic freedoms and campaigns against abuse of power.
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The CHRICED executive director said Nigeria was at a defining moment in its democratic development, with citizens facing economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and social exclusion, alongside growing concerns about governance.
“Democracy does not thrive merely because elections are held. Democracy flourishes when citizens are informed, when power is scrutinised, when institutions are accountable, and when ordinary people have platforms through which their voices can be heard,” he said.
He stressed that the media and civil society organisations remained indispensable to strengthening democratic institutions, holding public officials accountable and ensuring that government policies and actions responded to citizens’ needs.