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The Lagos Chapter of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has held the October Congress of the Union.
The Congress which held Saturday at the Lagos Television, Ikeja was the inaugural edition of the newly elected executives.
New Chairman of the Union, Dr. Quasim Olalere Akinreti thanked members for the opportunity and honour bestowed on him to lead the Union.
Akinreti who works at the Voice of Nigeria (VON), however pleaded with members of the Union to cooperate with the new executives in order to move the Union forward.
“We campaigned vigorously and promised to deliver on various campaign promises including welfare of journalists, investment, agriculture, healthcare, housing and other points. Please whenever we are going wrong we are appealing that you call us to order,” he pleaded.
Akinreti continued that, “The most contending issue is the issue of land. We have received some petitions on the contentious lands. We decided to look into it and we therefore visited the land. We have four sites. We visited the Abaren land and I am appealing to you to give us time.”
Explaining further on the landed property of the Union, Akinreti said, “We were at the Pen Jewel estate. We waded through the river by the land with the help of God and I can assure you the land is there.”
Still on the landed property belonging to the Union, Akinreti explained further that, “We also have land at Asheshe village in Obafemi Owode Local Government of Ogun State. We have another site at Ikorodu of which about 60% has been taken over by land grabbers but we have agreed to set up a committee to follow the issues of the three lands and they would give us feedback in one month.”
One time chairman of the Union, Mr. Lanre Arogundade expressed his satisfaction on the outcome of the election. “I am happy the election has come and gone and I am happy with the new executives. The atmosphere is relatively calm. I wish it was calm like this during my time, he said.
Arogundade who is the Director of the International Press Centre stated further that, “We have a tradition at the Lagos NUJ to build on what previous leaders have done. I am happy that the new executive will do that. We need to work more on welfare of members. I‘ll also like to be there to give advice when necessary. It is always very difficult but let us put the election behind us. It is what we make the NUJ that it will become.”
Secretary of the Union, Mr. Alfred Odifa read the achievements of the two-week old executives one of which is the media career development training facilitated by Media Career Centre which the executives mobilised members to attend.
The issue of members sacked at the Sun newspapers led discussion on the state of the Union. Vice Chairman of the Union, Abiola Beckley who led a fact finding delegation to the Sun newspaper was on hand to address the Congress on the development.
“We visited The Sun newspaper on 12th October to enquire what actually transpired. The reason for the restructuring/retrenchment like they termed it was not far from the recession,” Beckley said, adding that, “The appeal we presented was that those sacked should be settled.”
On the state of the media, Akinreti said the Union would advance the course of journalists through a proposed Bill. “We are going to push the Media Enhancement Bill. With the way things are going, some of us are going to become media entrepreneurs. The online media has come to stay and we need the new skills some of our colleagues have acquired and have become media entrepreneurs.
“Under the new beginning agenda, we are going to look into the issue of the New Telegraph opening a chapel. Some of our colleagues were denied during the election therefore we are going to see to their having a chapel so they can fully join us,” Akinreti said.
