Lagos NUJ chairman promises land allocation to journalists in December

Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ logo

The chairman, Lagos State Council of NUJ, Qasim Akinreti, on Tuesday assured journalists who paid for plots of land in the journalists’ estates that they would get their allocation by December.

Mr. Akinreti gave the assurance while inaugurating the new executive members of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Lagos Chapel, headed by Bola Akingbehin, as the chairman.

NAN reports that the plots of land are situated at Pen Jewel Estate, Mowe; Sound Pen Land Project at Ofada and Ikorodu.

“The issue of land will be resolved by December. I promise those who have paid that their plots will be allocated to them by December,’’ he said.

On Media Enhancement Bill, Mr. Akinreti said his executive was already working with the State House of Assembly on the modalities for the bill and how to accelerate its easy passage.

The chairman said that the bill would specifically be for media practitioners operating in Lagos.

According to him, I want Lagos State to be the pacesetter in the implementation of the bill when it becomes law.

He said that the bill would take adequate care of members that would be affected in case of nonpayment of salaries by the media owners.

Mr. Akinreti also said that his administration would protect the integrity of the union and that due process would be followed.

He said that the online journalists would be integrated into the fold of the union.

“When we are talking about the integrity of the union, we cannot leave out this section of the union.

“We are also going to guard the ethics of journalism jealously.

“I will uphold the constitution of this union in performing my responsibilities as the council chairman in Lagos State,’’ Mr. Akinreti said.

In her acceptance speech, Mrs. Akingbehin said that she would relate with the management “with every sense of respectability and give utmost attention to due process.

“We have outlined our plans and wish to state that our agenda will be focused on the welfare of our members to attain their heights in the profession.

“We shall run our term with utmost concern for fairness, equity and justice,’’ she said.

Mr. Akingbehin lauded the outgoing executive for their sacrifice in the last four years, promising to do more.

Earlier, the chairman of the Credentials Committee, Olagoke Olatoye, said that the new executive members emerged unopposed at the expiration of the nomination forms.

Mr. Olatoye said that they were thoroughly screened before their names were forwarded to the state council for ratification.

Members of the executive are: Uche Eletuo, Vice-Chairman; Moses Omorogieva, General Secretary; Vezi Isike, Financial Secretary and Idris Olukoya, Internal Auditor.

(NAN)