Nigeria: Correspondent Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) of Chapel in Kano state, Northwest Nigeria has resolved to boycott the coverage of all activities of Kano State Government.
Reportedly, the Chairman of the Chapel – Aminu Ahmed Garko has announced about this after an emergency Congress of the Union at NUJ press Centre Kano.
According to Garko, the decision was taken in response to the persistent and unacceptable mal-treatment of Chapel members in the state by the government and its agents, while discharging the primary assignments.
The Chairman of Chapel said that despite the efforts to engage with the government and its officials to address the issues, they have seen no improvement in the situation.
As per the sources, the members of the Chapel continue to face the harassment, intimidation and even more the physical assault too, while performing their duties.
Considering the situation, Chairman Aminu Ahmed Garko expressed the concern, and expressed that the government has prioritised the non-professionals over trained journalists. They made it a state policy to side-line the ones who are best equipped to handle the job.
Garko added to his statement that as per the result, they regret to announce that they will no longer participate in the press conference and will cover the government events. They will conduct the interviews with the state officials until they see a tangible commitment to press freedom and for the safety of journalists.
Notably, all members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists will comply with the directives and can join in the protest against the ill-treatment of the members, especially the journalists in Kano State.
However, it is better to believe that a free and independent press is essential for a functioning democracy, which will not stand idly by, while the members are mistreated and intimidated.
Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ) is a wide network of media professionals which was established to advance the safety and welfare of Nigerian Journalists. NUJ is an independent trade organisation with not political leaning and ideological disposition.
The Union was founded in the underlying belief that speaks with only one voice as a professional body. It can push for the interest of its members particularly in the areas of working conditions and rights that mainly considers the freedom of expression, safety, job security and fair remuneration, gender equality, freedom of association, copyright protection and fight against all forms of discrimination and suppression.
Nigeria Union of Journalists organises and supports campaigns that aims at protecting rights of the journalists and strengthening the collective agreements.
