On Wednesday, the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) immediately removed all of its members who had been covering the State House of Assembly.
The State Council Chairman, Comrade Amos Etuk, State Council Secretary, Comrade Dominic Akpan, Comrade Iniobong Ekponta, Chairman of Communique Drafting Committee, Comrade Dianime Uko, Secretary Drafting Committee, and Comrade Emem Okon all signed the communique that was released at the conclusion of the State Congress of the union held at its secretariat.
The order, according to the communiqué, was made as a result of Mr. Nkereuwem Udom’s employment as press secretary to Mr. Udeme Otong, speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, who is not a journalist.
The organization issued a warning, stating that any member who disobeys a directive from the congress will be subject to severe penalties.
Part of the statement reads, “Congress directed all journalists covering the activities of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, including the Press Corps, to resign their positions with immediate effect over the Speaker’s appointment of a non-journalist as the Press Secretary (Head of Press Corps).”
Congress disapproved of this development and consequently issued a warning that any member of the Union that defaulted would suffer harsh penalties, according to the communiqué.
Additionally, the communique urged the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency to act right away against the careless dumping of trash along Atiku Abubakar Way, which has clogged drainage systems and caused floods in the neighborhood.
The union urged the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the communique to start enforcing the law, arresting, and prosecuting drivers who drive the wrong way because this unsightly practice consistently results in traffic accidents.
Congress requested that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigerian Police Motor Traffic Division, and other traffic management agencies arrest and prosecute drivers who obstruct traffic because this unsightly trend frequently causes accidents and injuries.
“Congress also noted that, in violation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, has underpaid oil-producing communities in Akwa Ibom State by failing to pay them directly the money collected from fines for gas flaring in the affected areas. Therefore, Congress urged NUPRC to begin compensating the impacted communities for gas flaring fines going forward.
The communiqué further urged the Nigeria Police Force Akwa Ibom Command and other security organizations in the region to increase surveillance and devise solutions to stop the rising number of phone theft incidents in the city of Uyo.
