Speaker Abbas seeks better welfare for journalists; congratulates NUJ at 70

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has called for better welfare and working conditions for Nigerian journalists.

The Speaker congratulated journalists on the 70th anniversary of their umbrella body, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), saying the organisation has continued to stand the test of time.

In a congratulatory message signed by his special adviser on media and publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the speaker asked journalists to continue to seek training, retraining,  be more ethical, and development-orientated.

The speaker said with the new trends in information and communication technology (ICT), journalists must continue to learn, unlearn, and relearn on their job.

He commended the Nigerian journalists for their immeasurable contributions to the country’s democracy and development, while holding the government and its officials accountable.

According to him, the media is called the fourth estate of the realm because its practitioners are critical stakeholders in society, who have enormous power and influence on the people.

Speaker Abbas expressed his belief that better journalists will make a better society, noting their watchdog role in the polity.

He said the House was ready to welcome legislation that seeks to promote the sanctity of journalism and enhance the capacity of journalists and media professionals as a whole.