The national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists has assured members that it is engaging the federal government on ways of ameliorating the negative effects of the present harsh economic conditions on journalists and media organisations in the country.
The assurance was given by the National Vice President of the union, Southeast Zone, Emmanuel Ifesinachi.
Ifesinachi spoke during an interaction with newsmen recently in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
He was in the state to represent the National President of the union, Chris Isiguzo, at the grand finale of 2024 Press Week of NUJ, Ebonyi State Council.
Ifesinachi who described NUJ Press week as the Union's annual constitutional event, commended the current leadership of Ebonyi Council for being committed to the celebration despite harsh economic realities.
The Union leader decried the enormous challenges faced by Journalists and media organisations in the country under the present economic situation, noting that many media outfits have folded up for lack of funds.
He described the theme for the celebration: "Journalism amidst economic uncertainty as apt, stressing the need for practitioners to redouble creativity and innovation to sustain the journalism profession.
Ifesinachi said: "Looking at it critically, an average journalist in this country has a problem, and that problem is also universal because it is not peculiar to journalists and journalism.
"This situation challenges our initiative and our creativity, and we need to repackage ourselves as professionals to be able to cope with the challenges of the time and defend the profession.
"The union at the national level is discussing with the federal government so that at intervals, the media and its practitioners will have a sort of bailout, be it quarterly or otherwise, dispensed to Media organisations.
"We are already building a data bank of media organisations and journalists across the country with their addresses and locations, so that as our discussion with the government is consummated, we will already know where to channel these resources.
The State Council Chairman, Comrade Samson Nwafor, in his address, said the week offers Journalists the opportunity to underscore how their operations have impacted positively or otherwise on the society, and to brainstorm on how best to improve to sustain quality services.
He regretted that many media Organisations have shut down in the last 9 years in Nigeria while many others have resorted to rendering skeletal services due to the ravaging bad economy, which has made the cost of living and doing business in the country hell.
While commending Governor Francis Nwifuru for keeping faith with his People's Charter of Needs agenda in the governance of the state, Nwafor appealed to the government and public-spirited individuals to assist NUJ in cash and equipment to effectively continue to deliver her mandate to the society.
Governor Nwifuru, who was represented at the event by his Deputy, Princess Patricia Obila, applauded the cordial relationship between the government and journalists in the state.
He encouraged them not to relent in bridging the gap between the government and the citizens in truth and objectivity, shunning fake news, scandal, blackmail and quackery.
"Sit up and protect your profession, and we are here to support you for we have come a long way as partners", Nwifuru admonished.
Delivering the keynote lecture, Chief Chike Onwe of the Mass Communication Department at Ebonyi State University identified corruption and leadership insensitivity as some of the factors bedevilling Nigeria's economy.
He noted that the bad economy has given impetus to the "brown Envelope" syndrome and quackery in journalism practice which has greatly impugned the reputation of the profession.
We recommended, among other things, special media workers' salaries and bailouts to media organisations as a panacea to the dwindling fortunes of the media industry in Nigeria.
Others who spoke, including the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Engr Jude Okpor, his counterpart of Local government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Uchenna Igwe who was also the Chairman of the event, encouraged journalists to always put patriotism and Integrity above personal gains in their operation.
They commended journalists in the state for their resilience in the face of economic challenges, pledging to always partner with them for the growth and development of Ebonyi state in particular, and Nigeria in general.
Igwe emphasized: "The journalist can make or mar his society with his pen, which is why we agree that it is mightier than the sword.
"However, patriotism demands that you use your profession to build the only country and state we can respectively call out own."
The highlight of the event was an award to the wife of Ebonyi state Governor, Mrs Mary-maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, as the Most Outstanding First Lady of the Year in Humanitarian Services.
Among those also honoured was a veteran journalist, Jasper Okoro.
Responding to the award, Mrs Nwifuru said it will spur her and her team to redouble their humanitarian efforts through her project, Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons Foundation, BERWO.
