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Work Towards Making Journalism Professional Body, Nsirim Tells Stakeholders
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim has called on stakeholders in the media industry to forge a common goal aimed at truly professionalising journalism practice in Nigeria.
The commissioner, who expressed concern over the basterdisation of journalism practice with the advent of the new media, called on the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) to collectively articulate a framework that would make journalism a purely professional organisation.
Nsirim made the call, last Friday while playing host to the newly elected Executive body of NUJ, Rivers State Council, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Port Harcourt.
“We cannot continue to be a trade union. The NUJ, NGE and NPAN must come together to work towards professionalising the practice of journalism.
He urged the Nigeria Union of Journalists to put the issue of professionalism on the front burner of the ongoing amendments of the union’s Constitution, adding that such would address the incidence of quackery in the profession.
“We should abhor unnecessary sentiments when it comes to anything that has to do with the union. It is the FourthEstate of the Realm, and must not be an all comers’ affair.
“The NUJ must work together to professionalise. Whatever constitutional amendment that is taking place must be geared towards making the union a professional body,” he said.
Nsirim urged the Rivers State Council of the NUJ to drive the effort by ensuring that a credible membership register was provided at the state level while plans should be made to initiate training for journalists on the ethics of the profession.
He insisted that NUJ in the state must work towards the harmonisation of its membership register with a view to ensuring that only qualified and registered journalists were members.
Nsirim said events in the recent past have shown that NUJ in the state was ‘an all-comer affairs’ union’, noting that NUJ must professionalise, and stressed that the membership register should be made to be credible.
The commissioner, who was a former chairman of the union in the state, said the Constitution of the NUJ must be amended to give the union a pride of place in the scheme of things.
He also warned against the pull-me-down syndrome bedeviling the union, and promised that the ministry in conjunction with the state council would organise a workshop to address the issue of ethics in the profession.
Nsirim enjoined the leadership of the NUJ to join efforts with the ministry to drive the #OurStateOurResponsibility advocacy campaign aimed at changing the negative narrative about the state.
He reiterated that the conducive environment created by the Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration has positioned Rivers State as a destination of choice, adding that the NUJ needs to partner with the state government to tell the world that the state was open for business.
“I keep reminding everyone that lives and does business here that Rivers State is our state, is our responsibility. We began this campaign with the understanding that we have a shared prosperity to protect.
“We should not allow people to demarket our state. Those who are media practitioners in Rivers State must tell the outside world the true situation of things in Rivers State. We shouldnot join to demarket Rivers State.
“Rivers State is home for all who come to do legitimate business. Only criminals are not wanted here. But if you have a genuine business to do, Rivers State is home for you,” he stated.
He emphasised that the awards being bestowed on the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike were an endorsement by the media and people of Nigeria to say that they have found a man whose governance has resonated with the plight of the masses.
“It is not happenstance. Governor Wike came prepared for governance and he initiated a NEW Rivers blueprint that encapsulates overall development of Rivers State. That is why you see infrastructure, healthcare delivery, agriculture, education, sports, and housing, even social welfare.
“So, we are very fortunate at this time in history that we have a patriot like Governor Wike who has demonstrated from day one that he is here to rewrite history. That he is here to make Rivers State stand out as a place where will be open for investors. A place that will be a destination of choice in the years to come,” he said.
Nsirim insisted that Wike was, and remains the new face of democracy in Nigeria.
The state Chairman of the NUJ, Mr. Stanley Job Stanley, commended the governor for the development strides recorded in the state, particularly at the time the nation was experiencing serious economic crisis.
He expressed gratitude to the governor for appointing a core professional in the person of Nsirim as information and communications commissioner, adding that it would further cement relationship between the government and the media.
He congratulated Nsirim on his appointment, and assured the commissioner of the union’s collaboration with the state government to achieve more developmental strides.
Stanley also thanked the commissioner for the role he played during the last state triennial delegate congress of the union.
By: John Bibor
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.