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From Gyang Bere, Jos
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State council, has raised the red flag over looming food crisis and the skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs and cooking gas in the country.
The council, in a communique after its congress, yesterday, in Jos and signed by the Secretary, Peter Amine, urged governments, at all levels, to take urgent steps to arrest the situation.
“Council decried the looming food crisis in the country and the continued hike in prices of foodstuffs in the market thereby making life difficult and unbearable for citizens. The NUJ appealed to government to put in place a price control mechanism to ensure the affordability and accessibility of food to the public.
“It also observed with displeasure the high cost of living in the country and the skyrocketing price of cooking gas as well as the artificial fuel scarcity and called on government to take urgent steps to arrest the situation.”
NUJ urged members of the House of Assembly to resolve their leadership crisis based on the constitution of Nigeria and stop putting the state in bad light.
“Council observed with dismay the leadership tussle at the Plateau House of Assembly which has painted the state in bad light and called on the legislators to put aside their personal interest and address the issues in line with the country’s constitution and in the interest of the state.”
The council also expressed dismay over the attitude of some overzealous security personnel who express contempt towards journalists in the discharge of their professional duties and called for synergy between newsmen and security personnel in the interest and development of Plateau and Nigeria.
“Council noted with dismay the indiscriminate use of NUJ/PRESS stickers by commercial drivers and non-members. It appealed to the Federal Road Safety Corps, police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure anybody that carries NUJ/PRESS sticker provides his/her NUJ identity card and that of his office as a means of identification. Failure to do so, the individual should be apprehended for impersonation and be penalised according to law.
“The NUJ advise Plateau State government and reputable organisations to take advantage of trained and professional journalists in propagating their activities to avoid misrepresentation rather than using untrained persons under the guise of bloggers who do not understand the rudiments of journalism and have no gatekeepers which is key in news reporting.
