The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi State Council, has called on the National Assembly to urgently, enact laws that would provide for insurance cover and protection of Journalists.
Alhaji Adeiza MomohJimoh, chairman of the Council who made the call at a Press Conference on Monday in Lokoja said the call had become necessary in view of recent happenings against media professionals in the country.
“The recent unfortunate happenings to journalists in the country have brought to the fore the need for insurance cover for journalists and members of their immediate families.
“The National Assembly must as a matter of urgency, come up with laws that will ensure that journalists get insurance cover to take care of their families in the event that they suffer permanent disability in the course of their duties.
“Enough of the pauperization of journalists in this country. We must not go cap in hand begging for any reason,” he said.
The chairman urged media owners to live up to expectations and take issues if Journalists’ welfare seriously.
“It is even a shame that each time we have challenges, we resort to begging, running helter-skelter, seeking assistance,” he said.
Momoh-Jimoh called on the government at all levels to intervene in ensuring the safety of Journalists while performing their legitimate and constitutional roles to the government and the people.
“The NUJ Kogi State council also wish to join the national Secretariat and other councils to condemn in strongest terms, the controversial circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Henry Tordue Salem Vanguard Correspondent in Abuja.
He said, “That the House of Representatives correspondent went missing for days and later found dead in a hospital morgue in Abuja, dead, is not a good narrative for our security.
“It is our hope that the security agencies do more investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding his unfortunate death.”
On the recent accident involving the family of Kogi State Correspondent of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr Bolu Obahopo, in which five persons lost their lives, the NUJ chairman said the roads had become a menace.
He said that the situation of the roads was appalling adding, “It is our hope that Government will rise to the occasion to save our lives and put the roads in proper shape as 90 per cent of accidents are caused by bad roads.” (NAN)
