Tina Amanda
Former senator representing Rivers South/East Senatorial District, Magnus Abe has emphasized the need to reevaluate the journalism profession, to tackle some major challenges faced by journalists in the course of carrying out their duties.
Abe made the call when he paid a condolence visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Rivers Chapter, to sympathize with the union on the recent demise of some of its members.
The Former Senator emphasized that the challenging economic situation in the country is a contributing factor to the death of journalists as it is very difficult to do journalism work without adequate means of surviving the next day.
He, however urged journalists to be more professional in the way they source, report, sample views and opinions, noting that the ethics guiding the profession is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
“We have been friends and brothers, we have been together in peace over time, I have developed credibility with journalists. I owe the entire journalists gratitude, I mourn constantly on the future of the press.
“Journalism is no longer what it used to be in those days. Looking at the landscape of today, it is radical point from the way news was sourced and marketed in our time. Those who understood journalism balanced news, you must hear from the other party, you only report facts, opinion as opinion.
“We need to reevaluate the profession of journalism not just a sense of how people practice journalism, but how to actually make a living from the job has become very key to the survival of the profession because of new social habits.
“Money is what everything is about. If you cannot make money from writing and reporting, how then will you be able to survive the next day? These are all the things the profession must challenge itself to look out, so it does not become a thing of the past.
“I’m here to condone with you on the heartfelt loss of your members. If some of these people had better opportunities to reap their labour, they would not have died. Challenges and lack is what kills faster”.
Senator Abe said that following the concept of the challenges facing the nation, they have come up with (Project SMA 3023) a different brand of politics that will address issues.
He explained further that it will be better for whoever wants to lead to engage the people, ask questions such as what do you want, what are your challenges, what are the ways in which we can work together to make your own life better because if people continue to vote and their lives is not improving, it will lead to crisis.
In his response, Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalist NUJ Rivers, Stanley Job, thanked Magnus Abe for the show of love exhibited to the Union.
He noted that Magnus Abe has been a friend of the media right from when he was commissioner of information Rivers State and has since then maintained the cordial relationship with the press.
He further appealed to the former Senator to support the Union in what ever capacity he could.
