The Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has issued a ban restricting Press conferences outside the Press centre of the union at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
A press statement on Thursday, signed by the chairman of Rivers NUJ, Stanley Job Stanley and Secretary, Ike Wigodo, said it would sanction members who disobeyed the directive resolved at its April 2022 Congress meeting.
The statement reads in part, “The Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has again banned holding Press conferences outside the Press Centre at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.
“The council took the decision for the second time at its April Congress meeting held on Wednesday and threatened to sanction any of its members who attend a Press conference outside the Press Centre.”
The Union also vowed to disrupt any Press conference that is organised outside the Press Centre without the permission of the union leadership.
NUJ maintained that “the era when politicians, private organisations and individuals invite journalists to hotels or their private offices or houses for a Press conference is gone, however, exempted the Rivers State Government House, the Police, Army and Navy from the list of institutions that were banned from holding Press conferences outside the Press Centre in view of their peculiar situations.”
It warned that the Union is out to protect the integrity of the journalism profession and fish out those diminishing the profession.
It added that it would collaborate with the police and other security agencies to ensure that the directive is effectively effected, urging members to adhere to the ethics of the journalism profession and “also conduct themselves peacefully and professionally during this political season.”
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