PRESS RELEASE:FCT MINISTER REITERATES COMMITMENT TO COMPLETION OF FCT NUJ SECRETARIAT.

  

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has renewed the FCT Administration’s interest in the early completion of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat.  

 

The Minister gave this hint while inaugurating the new executive of the FCT Minister’s Press Corps, yesterday, August 16, 2017. His words, “my prayer is that when next we do an occasion such as this, we would do it in the completed NUJ Press Centre.”

 

The Minister commended the FCT Press Corps for their professionalism and vibrancy in keeping the residents of the Territory effectively informed on the activities of government.

 

Malam Bello commended the body for the peaceful manner in which the election was conducted and urged the newly elected Exco members to see their emergence as testimony of trust by their colleagues. By their election, the FCT Minister noted, an enormous responsibility has been placed on their shoulders while urging them to justify the confidence reposed in them.

 

In his address at the occasion, the Chairman of the FCT NUJ, Mr. Paul Ela Abedi indicated that Press Corps system comprise the group of journalists that cover specific organs of government and beats. While not part of the physical structure of the NUJ, he observed, they are recognized as a vital part of the operations of the Union as they have been useful in the promotion of ethics and standards of the profession.

 

He said, “We embrace them because they have made us proud. They stand as a gate to check quackery as nobody can just come in and say he is covering FCT Administration, because already there is a protective group called press corps.”   

 

In his capacity as the Chairman FCT NUJ, he subsequently presented Certificate of Return to Mr. Ikarro Attah as the newly elected the Chairman of the FCT Press Corps.

 

Speaking earlier, Mr. Fred Itua of the “The Sun Newspapers,” who served as the Electoral Committee Chairman, disclosed that the electoral body was two inaugurated on the 21^st of July to conduct an election to usher in new Exco. This, he said was successfully conducted within two weeks. He revealed that of of the 51-member body, eight Exco members had been chsen to run its affairs in the next two years.  

 

Mr. Itua announced the winners as: Chairman - Mr. Ikharro Attah (Independent Television); Vice Chairman – Umar Suleiman (Aso Radio); Secretary – Mitaire Ikpen (NTA Channel 5)  and   Assistant Secretary – Stanley  Onyekwere (People’s Daily). Others are, Treasurer – Mrs Agnes Remi Johnson (Capital FM); Welfare and Publicity Secretary – Mr. Austin Elemue (Abuja Enquirer); Financial Secretary – Mr. Oyewole Akintunde  and Festus Ikpen – Auditor (Ben TV).  

 

The new Exco were sworn in by the Acting Solicitor-General of the FCT, Barr. Yusuf Wodi.

In his inaugural address, Mr. Ikharro Attah declared, “I am standing here as Chairman, not because I am superior to my colleagues of the pen profession or members of the fourth estate of the realm, but within the context that they chose me as first among equals to lead in the all-important assignment of covering the FCT and partnering in the work of realizing the FCT project.”

 

He thanked the FCT Minister for shelving all his other important commitments to be present at the event personally and to inaugurate the new Exco. This is, Mr. Attah observed, is testament to the high regards the Minister has for the media, while declaring, “There is no Press Corps as respected as this.”

 

On behalf of the FCT Minister’s Press Corps, the new Chairman pledged to carry out their duties with respect to the ethics of the professions which emphasize fairness, objectivity and balance.

 

Cosmas Uzodinma
Chief Press Secretary
To FCT Minister