NUJ inaugurates committees on anti-quackery, welfare

Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), kwara state chapter was on Tuesday inaugurated committees to flush out quacks from the Media Profession in the state and as well look into the welfare of its members.

The State Working Committee  of the Union under its Chairman, Mallam Umar AbdulWahab said the step is very important, following the alarming dimension in which fake news is going in the society ant it capable of fanning religious, ethnic, communal crisis and even chaos in our society

He said the National Secretariat of the Union had earlier directed all the state councils to constitute ”Anti-Quackery Committee”.

according to the statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Union in the state, Mallam  Umar Abdulwahab and                                                            Deacon Omotayo Ayanda respectively;

“The Nigeria Union of Journalists is worried at the alarming dimension of fake news especially on the social media which are capable of fanning religious, ethnic, communal crisis and even chaos in our society. As professional Journalists we owe it a duty to stand against this identified horrible phenomenon”

“As professionals, we must stand out and discourage social media actors and some elements within us who are hawkers of fake news with the sole intent of destroying the very fabric that holds us together as a people”

“To this end, the Kwara State NUJ launched its website, www.kwaranuj.org.ng and activated its social media platforms to tackle the menace of fake news and hate speeches. This is the era of developmental Journalism and all of us must stand up and rise to the occasion”

“However, sequel to a directive from the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to constitute ‘Anti-Quackery Committee’ to flush out quacks from the Media Profession, the Kwara State Council of the NUJ hereby announce the constitution of a seven-man committee to checkmate activities of quacks in the media profession and ensure that discipline and sanity are brought to the profession”

Members of the committee are: Elder Stephen Oni (Chairman), Mall. Mustafa Abubakar (Secretary), Mrs. Olaoye Augustina Olujuwon (member) Ibrahim Issa Jetti (member), representatives of Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Department of State Security (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

“We have come to conclusion to rid the state and the Journalism profession of quacks, haven observed that few elements within the profession are not professionals and have been giving the rest of us bad name. Hence, we can no longer fold our arms and allow these few quacks to drag our noble profession into mud or tag the rest of us with ill repute”

As we are committing ourselves to the enhancement of media practitioners’ welfare, the Council has also set up a ‘Welfare Committee’, which is to be chaired by Alhaji Ganiyu Atere.

Other members of the committee are: Bunmi Adedoyin, Biliqees Oladimeji, Ayobola Olupinla, Bimbo Suleiman, Ramat Ismail, Dare Akogun, Demola Akinyemi, Ganiyat Adedeji Olaide, Lawrence Afolabi, Idayat Hassan and Alaya Olayinka (Secretary).

The committee is to provide a platform for stronger advocacy and solidarity on measures for the improvement of the working and welfare conditions of Journalists in both the private and public outfits in the state.

“The State Working Committee (SWC) of Kwara Council, want to remind members once again that these dark days will pass and we will survive the pandemic. We encourage you therefore not to panic nor lose hope. While the media is expected to play a vanguard role in the fight against COVID-19, we must persist in taking personal responsibility for preventing the spread of the dreaded virus by maintaining personal hygiene and social and physical distancing” it reads.