Ike-led FCT-NUJ Records Another Feat As Lawmaker Donates Air Conditioners To The Council
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abuja Council under the able leadership of Comrade Grace Ike has recorded another feat barely five months on assuming office.
This followed the donation of five floor standing air-conditioners by the Chairman of the House Committee on Customs and Excise, Hon Leke Joseph Abejide during the Easter Cantata Concert organised by the Council.
Hon Abejide, who was the Guest Speaker at the first ever Easter Cantata concert organised by the NUJ FCT, said that journalists as people who report the daily activities of government and society, deserve a better atmosphere for their daily activities.
Abejide noted that the current Secretariat of the FCT NUJ was not conducive for the work they do as the mirror of the society.
According to him; “The media is very important to everything we do. Both those in government and the private sector should realise the importance of journalists. Whatever you are doing, if the media is not there to report it, nobody will know it and it will be like dancing alone in your room.
“You deserve better facilities. I will donate five air conditioners to the Council and these will be ready by the end of April,” he said.
Abejide, who represents Yagba West, and Yagba East Mopamuro Federal Constituency of Kogi State in the House of Representatives, also spoke on the need for journalists to be at the forefront of driving national unity and cohesion and not helping to destroy the society.
He said the present government has shown enough capacity in leading the nation to her pride of place in the comity of nations, adding that the House of Representatives will support any initiative that will ensure a better working condition for the Nigerian journalists.
Speaking at the occasion, National President of the NUJ, Comrade Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, said the Union was working with other stakeholders to present a bill to the National Assembly that will ensure an enhanced working condition for the journalists.
Abdullahi solicited the support of Abejide and his colleagues to ensure quick and smooth passage of the bill which he said will bring about a new phase in the development and practice of journalism in the country.
Speaking in turn, the Chairman of the FCT Council of the NUJ, Comrade Grace Ike, while appreciating the gesture of the lawmaker, described it as a noble and welcome development, adding that the union is in dire need of assistance from philanthropists like him.
Ike expressed gladness that the social event earned the FCT Council five standing Air Conditioners to ameliorate the suffering of members.
In the words of Ike; “If you notice, we have been having series of social activities to bring our people together and the hall can barely take up to 500 members and we have over 3,000 NUJ members in the city centre.
“Imagine the crowd on Tuesday, this is the first of its kind and unfortunately it hurts those who do not want the progress of the union to bring our members together to foster unity.
“They will not tell you the benefit of unity or social events because it is against their believe of divide and rule principle which I frown at,” the FCT NUJ chairman stressed.
Comrade Ike listed the benefits to include; “Boosting Morale and Engagement with members, Strengthening Team Cohesion, Facilitating Networking and Breaking Hierarchies, Encouraging Innovation and Openness among others”.
She assured that the NUJ, FCT Council will continue working on this and other innovative projects and strategies until those in power and well meaning Nigerians hear members of the NUJ.
