Nation
NLC Seeks NUJ’s Collaboration To Fight Poor Remuneration Of Journalists
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has expressed his readiness to collaborate with the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) on issues of the remuneration of journalists in Nigeria.
Ajaero noted that journalists are poorly paid and owed for many months by their employers, causing their living conditions and retirement age to be undesirable.
He stated that the living condition of most journalists is characterised by hardship and suffering, even as he said that journalists are among the groups that suffer the most indecent job conditions in Nigeria.
While he expressed displeasure that NUJ, an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress has stepped backward for no good reason in the affairs of NLC against what it was in the early days of his journalism career, Ajaero said he would meet with leaders of the journalists union to discuss extensively on measures to change the working and living condition of media practitioners in the country.
“The NUJ is going backwards, they are slacking in the affairs of NLC and I am not afraid of saying this. They have allowed the Guild of Editors to be at the forefront.
“The Guild are the managers and they cannot protect the interest of reporters. I don’t mean to open a debate between journalists being professionals or employees. If you are claiming to be professionals, you are undermining yourselves because 90 percent of your members earn a living through their employers.
“As professionals, do you have your chambers? Do you have your clinics? So if we leave the employee aspect of our association and move into the professional aspects, then there is a problem.
“If we say we are professionals yet our salaries are being paid or determined by one employer somewhere, what kind of professionals are we? You said you are professionals yet you are suffering in silence and your salaries are not being paid.
“The media are among the people that are poorly remunerated in Nigeria and I want to collaborate with the NUJ for us to set the machinery in motion, especially on the welfare of journalists, even to the issue of insurance. Do you know what happens to journalists on a daily basis?
“I want to work with the NUJ to know those organisations that are owing journalists. Don’t tell me you are a professional and they are owing you. And you tell NLC not to come. Don’t expect the Guild of Editors to do it for you. They cannot because they are editors and managers and cannot agitate for your welfare.
“We are not trying to incite anybody but what is right must be done. So we must face the truth. Are we actually professionals? If I say I am not working for organisation A today, can I actually stand on my own? And how many of us can stand on their own and continue to exist? So we must decide whether we are employees or professionals. Until we address some of these issues, we may be more Catholic than the Pope.
“How can journalists be working for the welfare of others and be suffering? Some of our colleagues who have left service, we are trying to find out how they are fairing. We will not be happy at all because the conditions of most of them are terrible”.
He therefore stressed the need for partnership for the overall well-being of journalists.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian Military is committed to facilitating sustainable food security in the country through the establishment of farms.
Musa said this in Abuja yesterday during the unveiling of the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products Logo.
He noted that the agricultural sector played crucial role in guaranteeing food security which was requisite for sustainable national security.
He said that the adverse impact of climate change, environmental degradation and conflict across some parts of the country had continuously threatened food security with dire consequences on national security.
According to him, to address this, the Defence Headquarters in May 2023, conceptualised the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative.
“This is with the aim of keying into the federal government’s efforts at addressing food security challenges in the country.
“The initiative which aligns with the ‘People Centric’ policy thrust of my leadership concept is aimed at creating job opportunities and enhancing rural infrastructural development while significantly contributing to food security in the Country.
“Considering the extensive consultation, planning and preparation made by the committee thus far, I am optimistic that the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative will have a positive transformative impact on host communities while enhancing national security.
“With similar initiatives replicated across the country, I envision a future characterised by modernised farming techniques in which the agricultural sector significantly contributes to economic growth and national development.”
The CDS enjoined all members of the Armed Forces and the general public to embrace the initiative and maximise its associated gains.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, for his sterling leadership and relentless pursuit of national peace, security and economic prosperity.
He also appreciated the efforts of members of the committee who worked assiduously to actualise the initiative.
Earlier, the Chairman, Defence Farms Committee,