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Tag: NUJ

  • Group partners Imams, EFCC, NUJ on Anti-corruption

    An Islamic organisation, Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, has partnered religious leaders, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ) Lagos Chapter on promotion of anti-corruption messages.

    The event was held at Lagos State Secretariat Central Mosque, Alausa, Ikeja.

    The partnership, according to its National Chief Imam, Fuad Adeyemi, was to ensure that messages against corruption in Nigeria had impact on the society.

    Imam Adeyemi, who doubles as Executive Director of Encouraging Accountability and Transparency Through Faith-Based Intervention (EAT-FIn),

    Adeyemi said the group since inception and during the last Ramadan has fed over 1, 500 people on a daily basis with three square meal.

    Occasion Chairman Dr Abdulhakeem Abdulateef, Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, urged the participants to join the anti-corruption campaign by using their pulpits to preach against corruption.

    He said: “Imams and Pastors are believed to be men of God, so we need all of you to help us to encourage the right values in the society particularly in the area of accountability and anti-corruption.

    “We must remember that the Almighty Allah will ask all of us to render account of our deeds thereafter, so the Imams and other religious clerics should lead us in the right direction because they are our leaders”.

    EFCC Lagos Zonal Head Umar Hadeja, who represented the Acting Chairman of the commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, noted that it is time Nigerians began to ask themselves some pertinent questions: “what does Islam say about corruption?” “What does the Quran say about the punishment that awaits any believing Muslim who engages in corrupt practices?”

    Hadeja said faith-based organisations must be seriously involved in the enlightenment campaign, considering the fact that every religion preaches against moral decadence, act of indiscipline and other vices, including corruption.

    NUJ Lagos State Council Chairman Dr Qasim Akinreti urged Islamic clerics to join the crusade to combat ills in the society especially in the area of corruption and other social vices.

    “The NUJ Lagos state will continue to interact with leaders of different faiths towards promoting a just society free of corrupt practices,” he said.

  • NUJ rallies against election violence

    Journalists in Ekiti State have warned residents against electoral violence.

    The journalists who marched on the streets of Ado Ekiti, the state capital, yesterday, called for peaceful polls.

    The media practitioners urged residents to be orderly and not to plunge the state into chaos before, during and after the poll.

    The march which was tagged: “Public Awareness/Rally on Peaceful Election in Ekiti State,” started at the NUJ Secretariat, Oke Bareke and took the journalists through Isato, Irona, Ijigbo, Old Garage, Okeyinmi, Okesa, Ojumose, Atikankan areas of the city.

    Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and students and officials of the Ado-Ekiti Campus of the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) also participated in the rally.

    Participants at the rally carried placards and distributed leaflets denouncing violence, arson, electoral malpractices and other behaviour that could cause breakdown of law and order.

    The rally was given protection by officers and men of the Ekiti State Police Command while operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) assisted to prevent traffic gridlock.

    Some of the placard reads: “We want peace in Ekiti,” “Vote, not fight, election no be war,” “remember your life is very precious,” “shun electoral violence,” “your vote is your power, vote right,” “don’t allow yourselves to be used as thugs,” among others.

    During the march, they reached out to residents in their homes, market women, commercial drivers, commercial motorcycle riders, commuters, Hausa and Igbo traders.

    Traders at Irona and Bisi Markets commended the journalists for the enlightenment campaign which they said was apt and timely as election day approaches. Speaking at the rally, Ekiti NUJ Chairman, Rotimi Ojomoyela, urged the people of the state not to allow the forthcoming poll to be marred by violence.

    Ojomoyela said the rally was the contribution of the NUJ to a peaceful electoral process urging politicians, voters and other stakeholders to maintain peace for the poll to be successful.

    He explained that the NUJ is a non-partisan body but is concerned about loss of lives which always trail the conduct of elections in Nigeria.

    Ojomoyela said: “This rally was organised to send a message that election violence does not pay and we want to appeal to our people to say no to violence.

    “Election is a civic duty and should be done peacefully; we urge eligible voters to go to their polling stations on election day and vote peacefully for the candidates of their choice.

    “We urge politicians not to use our children and youths as thugs and we also warn our younger generation not to allow themselves to be used to cause mayhem at election.

    “Ekiti is a peaceful state, the NUJ is for peace and we will continue to advocate for peace. All stakeholders in the electoral process must give peace a chance.”

    The NUJ Vice Chairman, Aderonke Samo, urged Ekiti youths not to allow politicians to destroy their future by using them to unleash terror during election.

    She said: “Our youths must realize that they have their own lives to live and they should not be tools for violence. Who tells you that you too cannot become president, governor or senator in the nearest future.

    “We don’t want anybody’s blood to be used as sacrifice for election, our youths be warned! We are also calling on our parents to caution their wards, so that they will not be used to burn houses, vehicles and vandalise properties.”

  • Zamfara state university to gulp N10bn – Gov. Yari

    The proposed Zamfara state government owned university is expected to cost N10 billion.

    This was made known by Governor Abdulaziz Yari on Tuesday, when he received at his Talata-Mafara  residence,  a team of journalists who were on tour of the state.

    He said: “This administration started in a big way, seven years ago when we constructed several roads giving access to many social and economic opportunities to our people throughout the state and beyond.

    “We also hope to complete in a big way through the establishment of the state owned university which will help in advancing the education of our future generations,” he noted.

    The governor explained that provision of healthcare services, good education, good drinking water, electricity and agriculture was given high priority by the administration.

    He further said that “my administration intends to leave behind good legacies that subsequent governments can build upon.”

    Earlier, the team leader who is also the NUJ National President, Abdulwaheed Odusile told the governor that the union organised the tour  to promote good governance.

    He said, Zamfara was strategically chosen for the participating journalists to go and see what the Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum had done in developing his state.

    The Democracy Dividend Media Tour involves  journalists drawn from various media houses.

    It is the brainchild  of the NUJ. Participants will visit all the states of Nigeria.

    NAN

  • Tambuwal, Wamakko, others to grace journalist turbanning ceremony

    …as ‘Sardauna Dundaye’

     

    A former Sokoto state Council Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Deputy Managing Director of the Sokoto state Media Corporation, Labaran Lumo Dundaye will on Saturday be turbanned as the “Sardauna Dundaye‎” in Wamakko local government area of the state.

    ‎Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto and the chairman, Northern Senators Forum(NSF), Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko are among dignitaries, friends and we’ll wishers expected to witness the ceremony to be officially performed by the Sarkin Adar Dundaye, Alhaji Bello Yakubu at his palace.

    ‎Already, all is set to usher in the new title holder who’s appointment had since been confirmed for his resilience and contributions to the development of humanity.

    The new title holder, Labaran Dundaye married with children, has been an active member and role model to the Dundaye community and of the Maru Teachers College Old Boys Association now College of Education, Maru in Zamfara state.

  • Lagos NUJ ’ll look into report of N1.6b housing scheme, says chairman

    Lagos NUJ ’ll look into report of N1.6b housing scheme, says chairman

    Lagos Council of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Chairman Dr. Qasim Akinreti has assured members that the report of an investigation committee on N1.6 billion housing scheme initiated by the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) will not be swept under the carpet.

    Akinreti said the report will be deliberated on by the state NUJ Executive Council before it will be presented to the State Congress on March 10, for further discussion.

    After four months of investigation into the housing scheme initiated by NAWOJ, in partnership with the Lagos Council of NUJ, a committee set up to investigate the controversies generated by project submitted its findings last Friday.

    Receiving the 26-page report at the Lagos NUJ Council Secretariat on Iyalla Street, Ikeja, Akinreti said he was satisfied with the committee members for helping him to achieve one of his election promises, which he noted, has remained a source of concern to subscribers.

    In the report, the committee recommended outright cancellation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the project’s initiator and NAWOJ President, Mrs. Ify Omowole, former Chairman of Lagos NUJ Council, Mr. Deji Elumoye and the developer, Messers Primewaterview Holdings Limited.

    In arriving at the decision, the committee noted that the contents of the MoU were skewed much in favour of the developer.

    For instance, the developer, based on the MoU, was to take 300 units of houses in the scheme to defray its cost of infrastructural development in the project. The MoU did not state the cost of infrastructure to be built.

    Besides, the firm had spent N21 million of the N73 million it collected from NAWOJ/NUJ on “road stabilisation,” which to the committee, was wrong since it was part of infrastructure development to be paid for with the 300 housing units.

    “The developer has shown gross lack of commitment and diligent execution on the project.  A letter should be sent to the developer terminating the MoU and the project in its entirety. A Quantity Surveyor should be engaged to assess the value of work done by the developer on site. Where the assessment by the quantity surveyor falls short of expenditure submitted by the developer, Messers Primewaterview Holdings Limited should be made to refund the difference.  In the event of failure to comply, the developer should be reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to help recover the money,” the report read.

    Besides, the report condemned Mrs. Omowole for her decision to withdraw subscribers’ $227,000 unilaterally. According to the committee’s report, Mrs. Omowole’s explanation for such withdrawal was unacceptable.

    “Omowole’s excuse for the withdrawal of the US$227, 000 because of the falling exchange rate and also to pay the developer (Primewaterview Holdings Limited) the advance of subscribers’ counterpart funding is unacceptable because as at the time of withdrawal of the money, there was no signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NUJ/NAWOJ Pen Jewel Estate and Primewaterview Holdings Limited as developer. The $227,000 was withdrawn four clear months before the signing of the MoU; hence no need to pay counterpart funding at that time.

    “Also, the excuse that the U.S. dollar was losing value at that time is unacceptable as the Nigerian naira further crashed as at the time of signing the MoU,” the committee noted in its report.

    Mrs. Omowole, the committee said, must pay back N159 per dollar, amounting to about N4.3 million, being the balance of the expired $27,610 purported to have been exchanged for N150. This amount was arrived at using the N309 exchange rate figure earlier agreed on. She was also urged to provide evidence of remittance of the earlier N4 million from this money to the NAWOJ Pen Jewel estate account.

    The NAWOJ President, the committee submitted, must refund the N779,000 collected from subscribers in form of application form fees. Although 713 subscribers were captured on the application list, 779 people actually bought the application form for the PEN-JEWEL project at N1000 each.

    The report did not spared Elumoye, who the investigation committee said must refund N4 million being the excess on the alleged N10 million he claimed to have paid to the traditional land owners, “Omoniles,” after findings revealed only N6 million was paid.

    Elumoye, the report added, is also to refund the N2 million he claimed to have paid for the extra land he bought on behalf of the Lagos NUJ Council in Mowe since he was unable to provide evidence of purchase of same.

    The report advised that “any land allocated to subscribers between 2013 and 2017 must be revoked outright.

  • NUJ condemns call for sales of Federal Government’s agencies

    NUJ condemns call for sales of Federal Government’s agencies

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ ), Lagos State Council, has condemned the call by a serving senator that some federal agencies should be sold.

    The union’s condemnation was contained in a communiqué it issued late Saturday night after its December monthly congress held at the Ladi Lawal Press Centre, Ikeja.

    The union during the congress deliberated on issues affecting its members as well as the state of the nation.

    In the communiqué signed by its chairman, Dr. Quaseem Akinreti said, “The Congress condemns in totality the call for the sales of some national commonwealth such as the Nigerian Television Authority( NTA) the National Theatre, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria(FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria,(VON), as canvassed by a member of the National Assembly.

    “The congress calls for the appropriate funding of these National Assets and other MDAs so that they will continue to generate employment opportunities for the nation.’’

    On beat associations, it urged owners of media houses to pay their staff as and when due to ensure decorum in the journalism practice.

    It condemned situations whereby some media owners owned their staffers several months of unpaid salary arrears.

    The congress also called on the NUJ at the national and state levels to always monitor activities of beat associations with a view to sanctioning those found to be involved in unethical conducts.

    On issues affecting members, it advised that all relevant stakeholders in the media industry should always be involved in taking unanimous decisions before such decisions were implemented.
    “It calls for a reorientation of members on proper conduct at assignments and the remodeling of beat associations in the line of professionalism.’’

    The congress, however, kicked against corrupt tendencies among members, while calling for the enforcement of rules guiding against unethical behaviours within the profession.

    The congress also decried the abandoning of the pursuance of the minimum Wage/Media Enhancement Bill by the national body of the union.

    “It promises to take the lead by submitting to the Lagos State House of Assembly a Media Enhancement Bill that will stipulate the guidelines to be adhered to by intending media owners in the state regarding salaries for their would-be workers.’’

    The congress also frowned at the upsurge of fake journalists in Lagos State and planned a review of journalists’ biometrics in 2018 to curb the menace.

    It also decried the incessant harassments of journalists by security operatives while on lawful duty in the communique.
    The congress said that it would through its state executive inaugurate a security chapel for public relations officers from the armed forces and other security agencies to forge cordial relations between the two organisations.

  • NUJ cancels award on Melaye

    NUJ cancels award on Melaye

    THE Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has declared as illegal, the proposed ‘Senator of the Year Award’ to Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi-APC) by the Senate Press Corps.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the corps had nominated Melaye and 14 other senators for series of awards, slated to hold on Monday Oct. 9 at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

    In separate statements on Monday, the National President of NUJ, Abdulwaheed Odusile and the Chairman of FCT Council of the Union, Ella Abech, said the union had canceled the proposed award ceremony.

    The NUJ said the Press Corp of the Senate was not recognised by the constitution of the NUJ and as such, had no locus standi to present award to the lawmakers.

    Odusile said the purported award by the Senate Press Corp was illegal as the body was not recognised by the NUJ constitution to give any award to anybody.

    “The Union dissociates itself from the so-called conferment as it did not comply with the provision of the Constitution of NUJ on such issues, hence the nullification of the award,” he said.

    The Chairman, FCT Council, Ella Abechi, has called off the award ceremony, adding that it was illegal and lacks legitimacy by the constitution of the NUJ.

    “The press corps is not a legitimate organ to decide who to give awards to,” he said.

     

  • NUJ cancels proposed award on Dino Melaye

    NUJ cancels proposed award on Dino Melaye

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has declared as illegal, the proposed ‘Senator of the Year Award’ to Sen. Dino Melaye (Kogi-APC) by the Senate Press Corps.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the corps had nominated Melaye and 14 other senators for series of awards, slated to hold on Monday Oct. 9 at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

    In separate statements on Monday, the National President of NUJ, Abdulwaheed Odusile and the Chairman of FCT Council of the Union, Ella Abech, said the Union had canceled the proposed award ceremony.

    The NUJ said the Press Corp of the Senate was not recognised by the constitution of the NUJ and as such, had no locus standi to present award to the lawmakers.

    Odusile said the purported award by the Senate Press Corp was illegal as the body was not recognised by the NUJ constitution to give any award to anybody.

    “The Union dissociates itself from the so-called conferment as it did not comply with the provision of the Constitution of NUJ on such issues, hence the nullification of the award,“he said.

    >The Chairman, FCT Council, Ella Abechi, has called off the award ceremony, adding that it was illegal and lacks legitimacy by the constitution of the NUJ.

    “The press corps is not a legitimate organ to decide who to give awards to,“he said.(NAN)

  • Adeneye urges campus editors on developmental journalism

    Adeneye urges campus editors on developmental journalism

    Chief Dayo Adeneye, who was represented by Mr. Waheed Adeshina disclosed this during the convention of the National Association of Nigerian Campus Editors, NANCE at National Union of Journalists, NUJ Secretariat Hall, Oke Ilewo, Ile-Iweroyin, Abeokuta, Ogun State on Saturday, 7th of October 2017.

    He urged campus editors to work hard in their various institutions in order to represents all students with their pen.

    “Pen is indeed mightier than sword, you can make difference from school. Many of the mainstream media persons we have today started from school.”

    “Make sure you make impact with your pen. Don’t just criticise, recommend solution, the schools authorities need people like you and when they begin to make use of your recommendation, you have done impact journalism”, he said.

    Also at the event, Odunayo Adams, the head of gossip desk at Naij.com who delivered the keynote on the topic: “Open Source Journalism and New Media” said that the social media platforms are enough tools for new media.

    “With social media platforms, you can get all your sources. The things needed for you as a journalist is to fact check. Don’t just use your social media platforms for uploading of pictures”, she advised.

    Also, as the tenure of Lukmon Fasasi, from Obafemi Awolowo University ended on Saturday, NANCE, the umbrella body of campus editors across the country held transition process which ushered new executives with Omole Isaac from Obafemi Awolowo University, as the new President, Tomori Uriel from University of Ilorin emerged the Vice President, Jonathan Oladimeji from Ogun State Institute of Technology emerged as the General Secretary, Adejumo Kabir also from Obafemi Awolowo University was elected as the Public Relations Officer, Aladelusi Oluwatosin from Federal School of Statistics emerged Regional Head, Hamid Fatteh also from Federal School of Statistics became the Financial Secretary and Atoyosoye Abigail from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic emerged as Treasurer.

    However, Mr Bakene Nurain, the Public Relations Officer of Tai Solarin University of Education admonished the new executives to work towards making the association better.

    “I congratulate the new executives and I urge them to leave the association better than they met it next year by the time they as giving account of stewardship next.”

  • Abia bloodbath would have been greatest in history- Ikpeazu

    Abia bloodbath would have been greatest in history- Ikpeazu

    Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has expressed gratitude to God for averting bloodbath in the state, following the withdrawal of troops deployed to Abia for a one-month military exercise code-named “Operation Python Dance.”

    Ikpeazu made the remark on Sunday when he visited the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Abia council to commiserate with journalists over last Tuesday’s invasion of the secretariat by soldiers.

    The governor noted that the presence of the troops sparked tension across the state.

    He said “we are grateful to God for intervening in stopping what could have been the greatest bloodbath known in the history of mankind.”

    He also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for reposing confidence in Southeast Governors’ Forum, “by giving us a second chance to talk to our people on the need for us to live as one united nation.”

    He added that the Igbos remained the most widely travelled people in Nigeria, living and conducting
    businesses in every nook and cranny of the country.

    The governor put the estimated population of Igbos in the north at about 12 million, with Borno having the least population of about 50,000 Igbo households.

    He said Abia needed peace for business to thrive, especially in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state.

    “I am very happy to say that normalcy has returned to the state,” he said, adding that Muslims worshipped in their Mosque on Friday in Aba.

    He, therefore, urged residents of the state to go about their lawful businesses, assuring them that government would continue to provide adequate security for lives and property.

    The governor described the invasion of the NUJ secretariat as unwarranted, saying that “journalists do not deserve such an attack.”

    He said that although journalists faced different hazards in the course of their duty, military attacks only happened under military regime or war situation and not in a democracy.

    Ikpeazu, who complained that the activities of his administration were under-reported, urged journalists to help in reporting the state positively to the world.

    He promised to look into some of the challenges facing the Abia NUJ, including taking steps to complete the union’s unfinished permanent secretariat.

    Earlier, the state Chairman of the union, Mr John Emejor, narrated how the secretariat was invaded by no fewer than 20 soldiers without any provocation.

    Emejor said that Abia NUJ was the only council in the country that still operated in rented apartment.

    He described the relationship between the union and Ikpeazu’s administration as frosty and urged the governor to take steps to reverse the trend.

    The Abia correspondent of The Oracle Today newspaper, Bonny Okoro, was manhandled during the attack.

    His Samsung tablet, as well as a cellphone belonging to the correspondent of Daily Times, Mr Sunny Nwakanma, was also destroyed by the assailants.

    Gov. Ikpeazu was accompanied on the visit by his Deputy, Chief Ude Oko-Chukwu, Rep. Sam Onuigbo representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, and the Pillar of Abia NUJ,
    Dr Anthony Agbazuere. (NAN)