From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council has called on the Government to appreciate the enormous work of journalists and should recognize the journalists as the 4th Estate of the realm in the state.
The council however, called for collaboration and partnership and appealed to the Government to apply human face while deliberating on the issue of Anambra Newspapers and Printing Corporation, ANPC (Publishers of National Light Newspapers) considering its historical and symbolic value to the State and workers.
In a communique issued at the end of it’s congress signed by the Council Chairman, Dr. Emeka Odogwu and Secretary, Sir Aloysius Ofodile frowned at the rumours of shutting down National Light and asked government to reconsider it’s intentions for journalists are prime for any society to thrive.
The Congress warned that going forward, anyone or organization who constitutes nuisance against journalists carrying out their lawful duties would be treated as an enemy of the Union.
Anambra NUJ also expressed its readiness to carry out their job as the mouthpiece of the people without fear or favour.
The communique read in part: “the Congress appreciated the efforts of the security agents in addressing the issue of the insecurity bedeviling the state and enjoined the security agents not to rest on their oars.
“The Congress appealed to commercial motorists and motorcyclists to shun reckless driving while appealing to the FRSC to intensify efforts towards educating road users aside apprehending defaulters. The Congress urged FRSC to use safety education to ensure that the road crashes are reduced to the barest minimum.
“The Congress called on its members to be security conscious and make safety their watchword.
“The Congress commended the Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo led state government for embarking on massive road construction and rehabilitation of failed portions of roads in the state.
“We urged the government to continue, noting that the importance of good road network cannot be overemphasized.
On transport, “the Congress appealed to the government to make available subsidized government’s vehicles that will convey workers to and fro work to cushion the effect of the hike in fuel pump price.
“The Congress called on the people of the state to imbibe the spirit of cleanliness and endeavour to keep their environment clean. The Congress frowned at indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the waterways and undesignated places” the communique stated.