President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has charged media practitioners to do more in reportage of legislative activities in order to educate Nigerians about the functions and constitutional roles of the parliament that is largely misunderstood.

Senator Mark said when he played host to the management of the Nigeria Television Authority, (NTA) in his office in Abuja that the Parliament is misunderstood on account of under reportage of its functions and roles as an arm of government.

The management of NTA led by the acting Director-General, Musa Mayaki briefed the President of the Senate on the coming on stream of its parliamentary channel solely devoted to the coverage of parliaments in the country from the legislative arm of the local government councils to the 36 state houses of Assembly to the National Assembly.

According to Mark,”Democracy dictates that the electorate have a right to know what their elected representatives do. It is only through the media that the people are properly informed. Therefore, the media should go beyond the ordinary and report the activities of the legislative houses in the country”.

Senator Mark also reminded media practitioners to always be guided by its professional ethics and respect for human rights which prescribes objectivity, fairness, balance and justices to all concern.

He however praised the media for its contributions to national development especially in the propagation and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

Earlier, the NTA acting Director – General told the President of the Senate that the introduction of the Parliamentary channel was necessitated by the need to properly cover the legislative houses across the country with a view to informing Nigerians on the workings of the law making houses.

The parliamentary channel is already on test transmission in Abuja.

source: www.gavel24.gov.ng