Member representing Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, Dr Francis Ottah Agbo has charged the media to take its constitutionally assigned role of holding the government to account seriously.
Dr Agbo who spoke at the 4th Annual Award and Lecture of Asset Newspapers Limited, held at the Conference Hall of NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja, said it is in the bid to reposition the media to bark and bike as well as enhance media professionalism that he has sponsored a bill to amongst other things, check the menace of quacks in the industry.
The lawmaker, who chairs the House Committee on Narcotic Drugs, said Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution empowers journalists to hold government at all levels accountable to the people.
He commended Daily Asset for championing the cause for a better society, adding that as chairman of Narcotic Drugs committee and Spokesman of the Minority Caucus, he is partnering with Daily Asset to become a veritable medium for propagating the image of the country.
Dr Agbo said the current state of anomie in the country has much to do with the problem of substance abuse and narcotic drug addiction which he said have become a rule rather than the exception.
He said this is because 90 percent of the crimes and criminalities in Nigeria are done under the influence of hard drugs, stressing that, that is why all hands must be on deck to check the menace of substance abuse and narcotic drug addiction.
He recalled that last year he won the Daily Asset award for the best legislator of the year and urged Daily Asset to sustain its push for a better Nigeria.
He also congratulated those who won various awards this year, including the Secretrary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri and the First Lady of Benue State, Dr Eunice Ortom among others.
