The Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) on Tuesday paid a courtesy visit to President Salva Kiir’s press secretary, Lily Adhieu Martin Manyiel, to foment working relations and create a conducive environment for the media in the country.
The UJOSS team led by President Oyet Patrick Charles congratulated the press secretary for the trust bestowed upon her by the president to be the bridge between the media, the public, and the president regarding the right to access information.
Among other UJOSS officials who attended the meeting were UJOSS Vice President Ajak Ater, Secretary General Majak Daniel Kuany Alier, and Tapeng Michael Ohure, UJOSS Communications Officer.
During the meeting, Oyet emphasized the need for the press secretary to take up her role with the impetus toward ensuring a conducive environment for the media and journalists in the country to undertake their mandate of informing, educating, and sensitizing the public with accurate and timely information.
“We would like to see you take full charge of inviting journalists for any function in the office of the president. We stand ready to help you in any way if you need our help,” Oyet said. “We as a union appeal to the office of the president, through the press secretary, to support us in promoting the safety and protection of journalists as the members of the fourth estate are essential since our work is to disseminate information to the public.”
The UJOSS officials also requested the press secretary to organize a meeting between President Salva Kiir and journalists.
On her part, Lily Adhieu Martin Manyiel thanked the UJOSS team for the visit and said her office is conversant with the challenges journalists and the media fraternity in the country are facing.
“I commit to bridge the gap between the office of the president and journalists and during my tenure, journalists will be given priority to interview the president,” Adhieu assured.
The president’s press secretary agreed to UJOSS’ plan of having a meet-and-greet with the president, an event that will ease the shrinking media space in the country.
She said her office will accredit journalists who will report on events related to the office of the president.