Hon Obika hails NUJ FCT Council over impact on balanced reportage

….we’ve remained, maintained nonpartisan stand – Ike

Member representing AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Joshua Obika, yesterday, hailed the tremendous impact of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Council for working assiduously to ensure Nigerians are kept abreast.

Obika stated this in his remarks during a courtesy visit to the NUJ NUJ Council and was received by the chairman, Comrade Grace Ike and other members of the Executive at the Council secretariat in Abuja.

He said: “When it comes to the work that you people do, you are the one that digs deep and brings out the facts that even the judge can’t use to adjudge his cases or matters. So that is the kind of services or service that journalism renders to our society.

“Even when some of us, the political class, cannot say it, you people come out boldly to say it as it is.

“You help to balance the sanity of those in authority to make them or make us, because I am among them, to do the right thing.”

Meanwhile, he also commended the Grace Ike-led NUJ FCT Council for the development and progress being made within the short time she and her exco took over the reins of leadership, and described it as “a tremendous progress and achievement for NUJ.”

He also added that, “I am seeing quite a difference from what it used to be. I want you to know that wherever I find myself, I make sure that organization I belong to are women-friendly.”

He further stated that women are being recognized now in the political space as they are contesting and winning elections at the national, State and local government levels because they have been tested and trusted by Nigerians.

According to him, he will consider the requests by the NUJ FCT Council as it concerns journalists in the FCT.

He also called on the NUJ FCT Council to expose what is wrong in the system in order to hold politicians accountable, especially those elected political officials to do the right things in the education, health, power, security, transport, roads, environment, water resources and sanitation, and other sectors in the FCT, because FCT is also considered and recognized as a State by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, on the proposed Media Enhancement Bill championed by the National secretariat of the NUJ, the lawmaker promised to throw his weight behind it as it has to do with issues around salary and welfare of journalists.

In her remarks, the Chairman, NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike pointed out that journalists have remained and maintained nonpartisan stands in reporting issues affecting the FCT and Nigeria by extension.

Speaking on the coming council elections in the FCT, Ike assured that journalists as usual would be deployed to cover the elections across the six Area Councils including various party primaries, and will report objectively without any fear or favour, because it is within the principles and ethics of the journalism profession, therefore no party can corner them to satisfy their ego.

“For that, we will do everything possible to even have a cameraman who will even go around to bring us stories that we will have on our website because NUJ FCT has a website.

“The idea is to make sure that we don’t have any party we are supporting. We are journalists, and as journalists, we will continue to do our job to the best of our ability, which is ethical reporting and journalism.”

She also spoke on the media enhancement bill, “On the issue of the media enhancement bill championed by our President, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, we will be happy it sees the light of the day when it gets to the National Assembly” she added.

“The National President, NUJ, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, is keen about that. Presenting the bill to the National Assembly and Passing the Media Enhancement Bill for us will go a long way to assist journalists and ensure that the issue of censorship is being tackled, that the media houses are independent and they can actually carry out their duties without fear or favour.”

She also maintained that women are not just coming on board but are breaking glasses and ceilings in a bid to change the narrative, and added that, “the reserved seat for women being passed into law will be a thing of joy not just for women but Nigeria to promote inclusivity “

“I know from the Senate’s angle, the president of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas alongside with members like you are doing everything possible to promote more gender inclusion in governance”

“So for us, it will be a thing of joy to see the reserved seat for women passed into law.”

However, about FCT primary school teachers on strike, the FCT NUJ Council boss pointed out that really there is need for improvement on issues the teachers are clamouring for, notwithstanding, she commended the efforts and impacts made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike within two years, as he continues to commission critical and legacy projects across the FCT.

“In terms of infrastructure, we will continue to commend the Minister of FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike for his Infrastructural development in the city . Everyone appreciates what he is doing

“And for us as journalists because we know we report accurately, he is doing incredibly well, and where we now want a whole lot of issues to be more looked at ,is the issue of school, where we have children staying back at home instead of going to school.

“So for us, it will be a thing of joy to put a smile on the faces of these kids and see that the issue of strike is resolved so that our kids can go back to school.

Meanwhile, she called on politicians in the FCT to be closer to their constituents by executing projects that are people oriented, especially, the rural populace and ensure completion of their constituency projects because the issue of implementation has been a major problem.

“Where the government should play their role, they should play their role. Where we have lawmakers like you who should also have constituency projects executed and implemented 100 per cent, it should be done and Nigeria will be a better place, particularly FCT will be a better place for all of us”, she added.