Akwa Ibom NUJ vows to continue holding government accountable
Journalists in Akwa Ibom State under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council, say there is going back in their avowed commitment and determination to continue to hold government at all levels accountable to the people.
Members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm also frowned at “consistent refusal of MDAs in Akwa Ibom State to provide certain information requested by journalists.”
This was the outcome of the September edition of the monthly Congress of the Union held atthe NUJ Press Centre, Information Drive, IBB Avenue, Uyo, on Wednesday, 30th September, 2020.
The State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Amos Etuk, who set ball rolling, maintained that Akwa Ibom NUJ is poised to uphold its Constitutional duties of holding government accountable to the people.
While welcoming members to the Congress, the Akwa Ibom NUJ chairman harped on the need dor journalists in the state to work in unison and cooperation to achieve the objective, positing that “the Union makes us strong”.
Comrade Etuk charged members to uphold professionalism and pledged the readiness of his administration to sustain the welfare of members, urging all to work toward achieving “our last quarter programmes”.
A communiqué issued at the end of the Congress urged governments to be alive to their responsibilities, especially in the area of road construction.
“Congress urged the State Government to step up remedial work in erosion- threatened areas within and outside the capital city.
“Congress called on relevant agencies of government to regulate dredging activities in the State as a section of Afaha Ikot Ossom in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, is threatened by sand excavation,” the Communique read.
Other resolutions reached at the State Congress of Akwa Ibom NUJ and jointly signed Comrade Idongesit Ashameri, Chairman, Communique Drafting Committee, CDC; Comrade Kufre Etuk, Secretary, CDC; Comrade Clement Barikui, member, CDC as well as Akwa Ibom NUJ chairman Comrade Amos Etuk and Secretary, Comrade Dominic Akpan stated:
“Congress notes the deplorable state of Information Drive by Ring Road 2, which construction work has since stopped and called for remedial work on the collapsed portion of the road for ease of movement.
“Congress notes the consistent refusal of MDAs in Akwa Ibom State to provide certain information requested by journalists, thereby flouting the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, and called on the MDAs to do the needful to avoid a resort to legal action to get the required information.
“Congress commended members of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State for joining forces with some of their colleagues to resist the position held by a lawmaker from Katsina State that the obnoxious National Water Resources Bill had been passed by the House and should not be reintroduced as a fresh Bill and urged them to sustain the resistance among the lawmakers opposed to the Bill and kill it at the commencement stage since the process for ts enactment has started again.
“Congress reaffirmed the endorsement of Comrade Helen Udofa, a former Treasurer of the State Council, by the NUJ, Zone F, at its meeting in Uyo, for the position of National Secretary of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, at the forthcoming Triennial Delegates’ Conference of the association in Minna, Niger State.”
