Tag: Lagos NUJ

Lagos State Council  Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr. Qasim Akinreti, has assured subscribers to the NUJ Mowe land of his administration’s determination to find a lasting solution to the controversy surrounding the land. He made this pledge when he led a delegtion of the state  executive council (SEC), and other stakeholders to the NUJ  site in Mowe, Ogun State. The NUJ Mowe land has been enmeshed in crises, following a controversial housing project initiated by the Nigerian Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) President, Mrs. Ify Omowole

During a tour of the 56.753 hectares of land, the team expressed shock at the state of affairs on the land, which was bought over a decade ago by the union.

A member of the delegation and  The Nation NUJ Chapel Chairman, Comrade Musa Odoshimokhe, lamented that no development had taken place on the land.

He said it was regrettable that given the peculiar situation journalists in the country had found themselves, self-help programmes initiated by the leadership of the union to provide shelter for its members had been left to not only waste away, but be a subject of embarrassment to all.

Out of the 56.753 hectares of land,  less than a plot of land was fenced, despite the fact that subscribers paid N60, 000 for perimeter fencing per plot more than five years ago to the immediate past administration of Mr. Deji Elumoye.

Stakeholders also rued the uncompleted gate house and iron gate,which they claimed not only fell short of standard, but has suffered from corrosion due to long years of inactivity on the land. The survey pillars, the stakeholders said, have been washed away.

The NUJ state executive council (SEC) also condemned in strong terms, the three uncompleted structures on the land, built by the developer, Primewaterview Holding Limited.  It maintained that the structure did not only fall short of expectation in terms of standard, it did not justify the amount members were made to pay to the developer.

“This is not the type of house they told us we will get. This is exploitation and it is a shame. A lot of our members had high hopes of owning their house through this project, but now this seems like a shattered dream,” Odoshimokhe lamented.

The Investigative Committee on the NUJ/NAWOJ Pen Jewel Estate Project Chairman, Mr. Fabian Anawo, briefed members on its findings.He said the committee was doing its best to find a lasting solution to the Mowe land debacle. He called on subscribers to be patient and wait for the report of his committee.

“We are aware that subscribers are agitated. We share their feelings and pains. But soon, we shall find a solution to the debacle. Please just tell your chapel members to be patient with the Lagos NUJ administration,” he appealed.

•Osoba praises initiative

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Lagos chapter is set to deliver a two-storey 20-room guest house in Shomolu, Lagos.

The magnificent edifice will be built on the ashes of the old secretariat of the union located at 3 Adeola Street, off Apata Street, Shomolu.

At the turning of the sod, the chapter Chairman, Mr Deji Elumoye, said the choice of a guest house was made for the chapel to earn an independent source of income and increase its revenue base.

He said the guest house will also serve as accommodation for journalists, especially those in transit.

On the design, the chairman said the guest house is designed to have car park, restaurant and bar on the ground floor, 10-room ensuite on the first floor as well as another 10 rooms on the second floor. On the cost, Elumoye said it is conservatively put at N74million.

On financing, he said it will be financed from proceeds accruing from rent from THE Lagos NUJ property, a four–storey house named after a former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, located in Victoria Island in addition to a facility from a bank.

The Managing Director of Epega & Co, Mr Segun Opayemi, developers and project managers, said they were looking forward to delivering the project in two years. He said the two-floor guest house has a parking facility for 14 cars and would be built to specifics and managed to yield good income for the Lagos NUJ.

Opayemi said his firm has a history with NUJ properties, revealing that they are not only managing the NUJ property in Victoria Island, but also midwifed the buying of the union’s secretariat in Iyalla Street, Ikeja.

He said the guest house will have competitive services with the kitchen and bar located at the ground floor and first and second floor housing 10 rooms each.

Chairman of the event and former Governor of Ogun-State, Chief Segun Osoba, while commending the chapel for the laudable project said it would present journalists in good light as a respectable and responsible professionals.

He regretted that journalists have always borne the brunt of brutal regimes and pleaded with them to be persistent in the pursuit of the ethics of the profession. He advised both the Federal and state governments to learn from journalists in terms of project costing and management without inflation of contract figures as it is common with government’s contracts.

At the event were the NUJ President, Mallam Muhammad Garba; his Guild of Editors counterpart, Dele Adesina and representatives of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Deputy Governor.