Worried over the dilapidated state of the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre, located at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Rivers State council, has called for the urgent intervention of the state government.
The newly elected executives of the NUJ made this call when the chairman, Mr Paul Bazia, led other NUJ executives and members on a courtesy visit to the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Mr Emmanuel Ndah, at his office at the Podium Block of the state secretariat complex.
They lamented that the council secretariat was in deplorable condition and needed urgent rehabilitation, even as they called on the state government to come to their aid.
In a statement made available to newsmen by the secretary, Ijeoma Tubosia, the chairman revealed that, “in terms of mobility, we have no vehicle, the one we have is in bad shape, most of the facilities are bad.
“We need you to help push out issues to the administrator pending when our governor will be restored.”
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Bazia, who also assured that the union would ensure factual reportage that will bring about the development of the state, also noted that the reason for the visit was to introduce the new executives of the union to the permanent secretary.
The NUJ chair further said that the new executives were ready to work with the government to change what he described as the negative narratives and move the state forward.
On his part, the permanent secretary assured the NUJ leadership that he would do everything within his reach to ensure that the union was put on the front burner and gets to the appropriate quarters.
Ndah stressed that the efforts of the state sole administrator was to carry out programmes that can be achieved in six months and urged the NUJ to make demands that can be achieved within that period.
“The administrator has put so much effort into not only carrying out achievable programmes but also ensuring peace and security in the state.”
He, however, instructed the new executives to carry every member of the union along in the scheme of things. “After the election, the union is now one, carry everybody along so that the union will move forward.”
