Ndoma-Egba charges NUJ on members welfare

Andy Essiet, Calabar

Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN, former Senate leader in the 7th Senate, has challenged the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to put in place a welfare scheme for its members.

Ndoma-Egba, a former chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stated this when the leadership of the NUJ, Cross River Council, paid a courtesy call on him late on Monday in Calabar, said such contributory welfare package by NUJ members will attract support from members of the public.

The former Senate Leader who had in the past donated the sum of N5 million to the then NUJ Endowment Fund for deceased family members of the Union said the call was necessitated by the need to ensure journalists carry out their work duty professionally.

Ndoma-Egba who is the longest serving Patron of the NUJ in the state expressed worry over the activities of unregulated social media platforms in the country, stressing that there was a need for the union to prioritise the welfare of its members whether dead or alive.

He also commended the state leadership on its plans to reinvent the union in Cross River, saying “don’t just reinvent the union but we need to see to the welfare of the members whether dead or alive.

“Because death is inevitable; we need to take care of those left behind by members of the union; we can’t question God over the death of love ones or members.”

He promised to re-established his relationship with the Union as a Patron and advised the members to equip themselves in order to meet up with modern trends in the profession.

His words, “Changes in the practice is fast becoming something else with modern gadgets, you must also re-establish yourself to continue to be relevant in the profession. There is a need for the practising journalists to be abreast with the modern trend in the profession. There is a need for members to be ICT compliant”.

He expressed fear over the unregulated activities of various social media platforms in the country.

Noting that it may pose a big challenge in the country in time to come if left unregulated.”

While congratulating the new executive of the NUJ in Cross River, he admonished them to brace up for the task of effecting positive changes in the affairs of the state chapter of the Union.

Earlier, Mr Nsa Gill, Chairman of the State Council, had expressed the readiness of the Council to re-established contact with its patrons and also enhance the welfare of its members.