Press Week: Governor Uba Sani Commends Kaduna NUJ, Calls For Collaboration To Make Kaduna State Great
Zainab Tanimu
Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state has commended members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Kaduna for their commitments in the discharge of their duties.
The state he said is ready to partner the council in order to take Kaduna state to greater heights.
“I am aware that Kaduna NUJ is alive to its social responsibility. Kaduna State will continue to work with Kaduna NUJ because it is important for us to collaborate, work together, we should partner to make our state better and great.
Journalists have played key role in the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.
The role of journalists in holding government accountable Uba Sani noted cannot be ignored, saying, his administration places high premium on accountability and transparency in governance.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ ) Kaduna Council’s Chairman, Comrade Asma’u Yawo Halilu in her speech appreciated governor Uba Sani’s leadership style which the NUJ finds commendable.
“We sincerely and boldly commend and applaud the good work being executed by our people’s oriented Governor, the one and only Distinguished Senator Uba Sani, who has shown and redefined what leadership ought to be by taking into cognizance the interest and value of the people at all times.
“We are gathered here today, to celebrate journalists of our great union and to also reflect on reasons why the Press Week is being organised and celebrated.
“The essence of this Special Day is to create and raise awareness associated with the challenges being experienced by journalists in the discharge of their professional responsibilities and the huge tasks they have to undergo in the discharge, dissemination and most importantly, the management of information.
“No doubt, the society places a very high premium on journalists whose Social Responsibility role at critical time in the annals of the country cannot be over stretched and or quantified. To put it more aptly, journalists as the mirror of the society, the voice of the voiceless and agenda setters for a better and egalitarian society, deserve commendation from the public.
“In the midst of these high expectations, Journalists are daily confronted with challenges of quacks, infiltrators and proliferation of fake news, time pressure, professional competence, poor remuneration and at times, lack of it, harassments, intimidations and suppression, amongst others.
“In the face of all of these challenges, the average and ever committed journalist still struggle to ensure that elected leaders at all levels of governance and other public office holders, uphold their call to duty by ensuring that they live up to the expectations of the public in keeping with democratic ethos and nation building.
It can therefore, be authoritatively argued that the normative roles of the media and its practitioners in democracy is to provide needed information to members of the public while the monitoring role involves the reportage of political, civic responsibility, social, and economic policies and implementation of decisions, as well as shedding light to shades of public opinions, and to uncover the covered.
“In most cases, this exposes our members to danger of all kinds. Yet, they don’t get discouraged but act more in the overall interest and good of the society.
There is the need for adequate protection for journalists who in the course of their duties are exposed to all manners of risks. Asma’u stressed.
“It is worthy of note that section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), guarantees freedom of expression, especially that of the media, but in spite of this provision, journalists still face challenges of adequate and unfettered access to information and I must quickly add, that those of us practicing in Kaduna state are not excluded even as we still struggle to uphold and observe the ethics of the profession.
It is in this wise that the NUJ Kaduna Council humbly appeals to the State Government to go beyond the artificial boundary and bureaucracy to create a more enabling free and accommodating environment for journalism to thrive, as well as ensure the safety and protection of our members in their quest to serve the public better.
This Press Week is a reminder and an appraisal of the journalism profession which is not an easy one.
“Having said this much, permit me to also say with every sense of responsibility, that as practitioners saddled with the responsibility of holding government accountable, we call on the present administration to as a matter of urgent national importance, quickly address the spate of kidnappings, hunger and poor living conditions bedeviling the nation.
“On the current state of our beloved nation, I will crave your indulgence to say that this is not the time for blame game, but a time for urgent and pragmatic actions by all state actors.
“To my respected and ever valued colleagues in Kaduna known to be pace setters in every positive, I once again congratulate us all on this successful outing and to also encourage us to continue to uphold the ethics of our noble profession at all times.
In his top provoking lecture, Professor Ayodele Joseph, Dean, faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Kaduna State University delivering a paper on the theme of the event noted that, “Good governance essential deals with the general good and well being of a country. It is a deliberate and conscious effort to better the lot of citizens”.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to both government officials and chapel members of the
