The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has cautioned politicians in Ondo and Edo States to refrain from arbitrary attack of journalists on essential duties during the forthcoming elections in the states.
This is just as it called on Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, to sign, without further delay, the Media Enhancement Bill passed by the state House of Assembly in 2022.
The union made the declarations at the weekend, in a communique issued at the end of its quarterly National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and read by its National President, Chief Chris Isiguzo.
Isiguzo said journalists as stakeholders in the nation’s democracy must be protected and not attacked, stating that the union would not take kindly to any attack on its members.
He disclosed that the Media Enhancement Bill passed by the Adamawa State House of Assembly when signed into law would help to improve standard of living for journalists in the state, urging the governor to sign it in the interest of journalists working in the state.
The union, while expressing concern over the increasing cost of living in the country, urged the federal government to come up with immediate measures to ameliorate the sufferings being faced by Nigerians.
It also frowned on the incessant vandalism of power installations supplying electricity to some states of the North East and other parts of the country.
The union equally called on the federal and state governments to urgently intervene on the poor state of roads in the country.
The communique read in part: “NEC cautions politicians to refrain from attacking Journalists on essential duties during the upcoming Governorship elections in Ondo and Edo States respectively. NEC equally frowns at the incessant and arbitrary arrests and detention of Journalists in the line of duty by security personnel and urges that such uncouth actions be stopped forthwith.
“NEC frowns on the lingering insecurity across the nation, especially kidnapping and violent crimes in the South-east, insurgency in the North-east, banditry in North-west and rising militancy in the South-south as well kidnapping in the South-west and cattle rustling and attack on farmlands in the North-central by herders.
“NEC calls on the heads of the nation’s security apparatus to rise to the occasion and address the situation.
“NEC expresses dismay at the increasing cost of living conditions particularly the prices of essential commodities which is becoming unbearable to Nigerians and called on the Federal Government to come up with immediate measures to ameliorate the sufferings being faced by Nigerians. On this, NEC expressed concerns at the delay in production at the Dangote Refinery which would have eased the present economic hardship in the country.
“NEC frowns on the incessant vandalism of power installations supplying electricity to some States of the North East and other parts of the country, and therefore calls on the Transmission Company of Nigeria and Ministry of Power to immediately restore electricity supply to the affected states.
“NEC calls on federal and state governments to urgently intervene on the poor state of roads in the country and further calls on the Federal Ministry of Works and Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to urgently proffer measures to ease the sufferings of motorists.
“NEC mandates the National Secretariat to overhaul and reorganise the International Institute of Journalism, IIJ, by instituting a new Governing Council for optimal performance.”
Kemi Olaitan
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