…Says No Corrupt Person Should Enjoy Media Protection
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the lingering fuel scarcity to ameliorate the suffering of the masses.
NUJ made the call in a communiqué signed by the National Secretary of NUJ, Shuaib Usman Leman, the Walin Shadalafiya, at the end of the just concluded first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for 2016, presided over by the NUJ, National President, Abdulwaheed Odusile and hosted by Lagos Council.
The NEC maiden meeting which was attended by members of the Central Working Committee (CWC), chairmen and secretaries of councils resolved that the un-ending scarcity of fuel in the country should be looked into by the Federal Government to reduce the stress and sufferings of the masses
The NUJ, NEC specifically expressed dissatisfaction at the avalanche of promises to end the imbroglio without success by the Federal Government.
On the adducted Chibok Girls, the NEC in session, who sympathised with parents of the abducted Chibok Girls, urged the Federal Government to do all within its powers to secure the release of the school children, who have remained in captivity for over two years.
It observed that with the latest video released by Boko Haram showing that the girls were still alive, the Federal Government should ensure that their lives were not further endangered.
On the ongoing war against graft, NEC-in-Session commended the present administration on its avowed commitment to rid the country of corruption and urged journalists across the country to be part of the crusade by ensuring that no corrupt person enjoys media protection.
NEC’s position as it concerns the Panama Papers, is that the government should to take a second look at those, who hide their wealth in offshore companies in order to evade tax,advicing the government to also take a second look at tax laws and bring all taxable Nigerians within the tax net.
On the 2016 budget, which has not been passed, the union urged the executive and the legislature to quickly resolve their differences in the interest of Nigerians and that important projects which would have direct impact on the lives of Nigerians such as the Lagos-Calabar rail line be maintained in the budget without further delay.
Deliberating on Security, the NEC-in-Session commended the armed forces for the obvious improvement in the ongoing fight against insurgency and that government should not to relent until terrorism is completely stamped out of the country.
It also called for adequate security for people in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and that government as a matter of urgency intervene in the Fulani herdsmen/farmers crises before the situation gets out of hand.
Other issues contained in the 11-point communiqué includes the rampant cases of kidnappings in the country, which NEC stated should be stamped out by the government ,as it has become a the menace and that the welfare and issue of payment of salaries should be taken seriously by federal and state governments as well as private sector operators.
NEC-in-Session commended the Lagos State Government and indeed the Lagos State Council for successfully hosting the meeting without hitches.
