A former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke, has decried the poor take-home-pay and general welfare of journalists in Nigeria.
Kekemeke made the remark while receiving the Executive members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo Council, led by the Chairman, Mr Adetona Aderoboye in Akure on Thursday.
He described the media as a very powerful and indispensable segment of the society, which deserved better welfare package.
Kekemeke urged the government to partner the NUJ to better the lots of media practitioners in the state and the country at large.
“When everybody is sleeping, journalists are finding ways to serve the society. You deserve better welfare package.
“You deserve good salaries. How much would it cost government and other private employers to give you better welfare, ‘’ he said.
He described NUJ as a vital organ of the society that plays indispensable roles.
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Kekemeke urged government and private media owners to do more to improve the status and welfare of journalists.
He appealed to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State to support the union to rebuild its Press Centre in Akure.
“I have been supporting any course that is of the media and the practitioners. When I was commissioner for Works, we ensured the construction of a road that links Radio Nigeria Positive FM and NTA stations, both on Ondo Road in Akure.
“I did the landscaping and tarred the NUJ Press Centre in Akure. I have supported you in many ways that I can’t be saying publicly.
“On the NUJ Secretariat, it is not too much for government to give an ultra- modern Secretariat to journalists in this state,’’ he said.
Kekemeke urged government to focus more on how to tackle poverty and hunger in the country to reduce high rate of crimes in the society.
Earlier, the NUJ Chairman, Mr. Adetona Aderoboye, said the visit was meant to thank Kekemeke for his support to media organisations and the NUJ.
Aderoboye solicited his assistance in the task of reconstructing and upgrading of facilities at the press centre. (NAN)
