* Abechi, Chair, NUJ, FCT council |
The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Federal Capital Territory, FCT Council weekend urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of
urgency, initiate a financial bailout package for the Nigerian media industry,
particularly those who have been unable to meet their salary/wages obligations to staff.
The FCT Council rising from its first congress since the
election of Mr. Paul Ella Abechi as
chairman, stated amongst others in a 5-point
communiqué that as a result of the
current economic downturn, several media
houses are finding it difficult to survive
in the market, and are in dire distress
“Many of them are currently owing arrears of salaries
ranging from 3-23 months. Nigerian
journalists work under intolerable conditions, which non-payment of salaries is
further aggravating.” The communiqué stated and appealed that the Federal Government facilitate conditional grants/loans to media
owners/proprietors who are owing staff within the sector with feasible
repayment plans.
The Congress maintained that the Federal Government consider the appeal as a matter of importance considering the
contribution of the media to the development of Nigeria juxtaposed side by side
other sectors like the Nigerian banking sector and Nollywood, Aviation,
Insurance, Agriculture and even State Governments that have all benefitted from
similar gesture
The Union further urged called on government to as a matter of urgency and
national importance, address perennial clashes between Fulani herdsmen and
farmers along grazing routes across the country. It observed that such clashes
have claimed thousands of innocent lives and caused distress to even elder
statesmen like Chief Olu Falae stressing that “These clashes like the Boko
Haram insurgency have claimed many lives and serious destruction to sources of
livelihood running into billions of naira.’’ It suggested that the FG to immediately create and maintain
grazing land and routes on dedicated lush pastures as well as immediately
address the humanitarian crises in the regions where they have occurred.
In the communiqué signed by Secretary of Council, Mrs Rafat
Salami, the Union expressed strong
reservations to the current regime of
increased electricity tariff introduced by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission by as high as 40%
without commensurate improvement in quality of service.
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