Gov Udom Pledges Partnership with NUJ to Develop Akwa Ibom

– Announces Official Car for NUJ Chair

Akwa Ibom State Governor,  Mr. Udom Emmanuel has pledged his readiness to partner the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), to fast track the pace of development in the State.

Gov Emmanuel made this pledge at the Government House, Tuesday, September 24th during a Media Parley with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council.

Gov Emmanuel who described journalists as critical stakeholders in attracting development to the state, charged journalists to channel their energy in driving positive narratives that can attract investors into the State rather than scaring them away with skewed narratives.

AKS NUJ Chairman, Comrade Amos Etuk.

The Governor urged the NUJ to take advantage of its numeric strength by encouraging its registered members numbering over 498 to chose at least one sector of the economy as their specialised beat to project the economic potentials that abound in each economic sector to attract investors into the state. He said doing so will help generate more employment opportunities to the teeming unemployed youths in the State.

Governor Emmanuel who also seized the opportunity to congratulate Comrade Amos Etuk and members of the State Executive Council of the Union on their victory at the August 2nd, NUJ election, also promised to give the leadership his support at all times. He equally called on members of the Union to give the new leadership maximum support to help them succeed.

The Governor also publicly announced his donation of an official car to the brand new Chairman of NUJ, Comrade Amos Etuk.

Responding, the NUJ Chairman, Comrade Amos Etuk thanked Governor Emmanuel for the kind gesture and also pledged the commitment of members of the Union in partnering government to bring development to the people.

He said with the aggressive sanitizing of the profession, would fare better as each member would bring their wealth of experience in pushing out contents that build and not destroy the State.

He also called on the State Government to assist the Union to complete ongoing projects at the Press Center, provide work tools such as laptops, camera, midgets to members, donate buses to the Union/Chapels as well as pay the 22% weigh in allowance for journalists working in government establishments as done by other states.

He however thanked Gov Emmanuel for setting record in the country by being the first Governor in Nigeria to institute a free Health Insurance scheme for 250 journalists in the state. He said, so far, 250 journalists are currently benefiting from the scheme which took off last month.

©Augustine Akpan