FREE PRESS AND OPEN GOVERNANCE: PANACEA TO THE CRISIS OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Abstract

One of the banes of development in most developing countries is the problem of leadership which often stems from corruption, lack of accountability, dictatorship among others. This often thrives where there is no mechanism through which the activities of the government can be brought to limelight and or challenges. Indubitably, the press if constructively deployed could play vital roles in governance among other facts of human endeavour. This study therefore examines the role of the press in promoting open governance and accountability in developing nations. The study adopted social responsibility to provide theoretical underpinning for the study whereas secondary data analysis was utilised as research design where extant literatures were reviewed. Among other things, the study found out that free press helps to win the trust of the public in the government as well as curbing cases of corruption through investigative reporting and whistle blowing. The study recommends that there is the need for constitutional framework that will ensure the independence of the press to enable the press work freely without fear or favour