By Onwa Ekor, Calabar
Worried by activities of journalists who engage in what the Cross River State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, termed as illegal press conferences which are held without the consent of its leadership, a three-man committee has been constituted to track down those who indulge in such acts, for disciplinary actions.
Memberships of the Taskforce include, the Chairman of Correspondents’ chapel and Voice of Nigeria Bureau Chief, Eme Offiong; Chairman, Ministry of Information chapel, Iloke Egbe and Solomon Azu of The Guardian Newspapers.
This was part of the resolutions reached during the monthly Congress of the Union held recently at the Ernest Etim Bassey NUJ Press Centre, State Housing, Calabar.
The Council resolved that such actions were unprofessional and cannot be tolerated as they fall short of the ethical standards of the profession.
In a communique signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the drafting committee, Comrades Esien Ita and Sylvia Okoi respectively and made available to newsmen, members also commended the Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, for the payment of the first tranche of gratuities to retired civil servants, appealing for the release of more funds in order to accommodate those who were not captured in the first tranche of the payment.
They applauded Otu for his concern towards the prompt payment of salaries and pensions to workers and retirees even as they urged him to make pronouncement and implement the new minimum wage for workers, so as to ameliorate their plight occasioned by the high cost of food items, transportation and medications.
While lauding Otu’s efforts in opening up new streets and other remediation works carried out on internal roads within the state, members through the communique called on government to liase with relevant federal authorities to intervene on the various federal roads in the state especially, the Calabar-Itu, Calabar-Ugep, Ikom-Wula-Obudu, as well as Ikom-Ogoja-Katsina Ala roads, to cushion the pains of motorists and other road users.
According to the communique, “this development would boost economic activities and create passable routes for Carnival lovers and tourists into the state.”
On improved security apparatus in the state, Congress lauded the feats of the governor and further appealed to various security agencies to intensify efforts and strategies, especially as the yuletide draws near.
