Sambo, who made the statement while laying the foundation of the first phase of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat and International Institute of Journalism, Abuja, likened the hazards inherent in journalism to that of architecture.
According to him, Nigerian journalists needed the establishment of enduring and effective safety standards to enable them perform their legitimate and the much needed work to keep the citizens informed.
The vice president said,"These policy measures, when implemented, will send a powerful message of support and solidarity for journalists who are committed to telling the Nigerian story to Nigerians and the rest of the world. Democracy will not take root unless people have the information they can rely on to make informed choices."
Sambo, however, implored journalists to always observe the ethics and norms of their profession, tasking them to take full advantage of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act to get accurate and reliable information.
He said,"Journalism, as a noble profession, has been eulogised as the fourth estate of the realm, the watchdog and what have you. Journalists possess the potential to influence not only the individual, but the society as a whole. And this influence could be political, socio-economic or cultural.
"I, therefore, challenge members of this profession to provide truthful, fair and comprehensive account of events and issues to the citizenry; as such enlightenment is a precursor of justice and foundation of democratic governance."
Sambo further commended the NUJ leadership for their efforts to reposition journalism and also for their foresight in putting in place permanent structures for the NUJ secretariat and the International Institute of Journalism, noting that it was a landmark achievement.
Also speaking, Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku commended the leadership of the NUJ for the project and also commended the Nigerian journalists for their courage.
The chairman, Board of Trustees for the project, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, said the project was the first of its kind in Nigeria, adding that the International Institute of Journalism was the first in Africa.
Earlier, the chairman of the NUJ, Mallam Mohammed Garba, who commended President Goodluck Jonathan and Sambo for their untiring support to the NUJ and the journalism profession pledged that the NUJ would always identify with the administration's transformation agenda.
He said that the NUJ stood for the peace and unity of Nigeria, enjoining journalists to observe the ethics of their profession in reporting issues regarding the National Dialogue.
The first block which would cost N55million would consist of classrooms, a library, studios and computer laboratory. The fund-raise ceremony for the project which was graced by the vice president, was held on June 30, 2011.
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