Following the naming of a non-journalist, one Nkereuwem Udom, as the chief press secretary (CPS) to the speaker of the 8th Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon Udeme Otong, the leadership of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by the chairman, Comrade Amos Etuk, has rejected the appointment.
At the June edition of the congress held at the Information Drive, Uyo secretariat of the union, it was resolved that consequent upon the speaker’s action, all journalists covering the state legislature should be withdrawn with immediate effect, vowing to sanction any member who flouts the directive, accordingly.
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Besides, congress also directed journalists to redefine their relationship with the Assembly under Mr. Otong’s watch, describing the action as detrimental to the cordial relationship that had existed between the media in the state and the lawmakers since the return of democracy in 1999.
“It critical of the activities of the state legislature for the state Assembly to work in close collaboration towards the delivery of the dividends of democracy to the constituents by maintaining strong and cordial ties with the Executive and the Fourth Estate of the realm.
“Therefore, it is a total misnormer for a well-trained journalist to relate professionally well with a non-journalist in the dissemination of key decisions of the House as well as government policies and programmes effectively, and that’s why it’s absolutely necessary that reporters attached to the Assembly be withdrawn pending when the Speaker would heed to our plea to reverse such appointment with a recourse to a trained journalist in his stead,” part of the communique reads.
Besides, congress noted the persistent flooding of Atiku Abubakar way, Uyo, which has been christened “River Atiku”, due to the blocked drainage and heaps of refuse dump on the road and urged the state government, especially the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), to “take immediate action to remediate the situation.”
The congress also expressed worry that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has shortchanged oil producing communities in the state by not remitting money generated from fines on gas flaring in the affected communities to them directly, as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), and urged the NUPRC to, “henceforth start paying the monies to the affected communities to remediate the problem of ailments arising from environmental pollution in the communities.”