Governments across levels have been urged to create enabling environment for media professionals to practice their trade under the most conducive environment in Nigeria.
The call was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Osun State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr Wasiu Ajadosu and the Secretary, Bukola Elufadeju.
The union said that Media Professionals deserve a decent life through a special wage because of their roles in nation building.
The statement condemned the attitude of some media owners to the welfare of their staff through non payment of salaries, payment of ridiculous wages and other benefits.
It said that ‘’Media professionals play important roles in entrenching democracy and its sustainability aside from being key actors in the struggle for democratic system hence, the need for special treatment.
‘’Many journalists do pay immeasurable and invaluable sacrifices in the course of their duty and thus deserve special treatment.
“Many Journalists have been killed while others risk their lives daily in the task of sustaining the unity of the nation as well as projecting the country for national growth and development.’’
The NLC’s statement came as Workers in Nigeria joined their counterparts across the globe on May 3, to mark the Workers Day.
This year’s theme, ‘Information as a Public Good’ attests to the significance of information to human existence and survival and its place in the promotion of public good as well as good governance.
The theme also underlines the indisputable importance of verified and reliable information as it calls attention to the essential role of free and professional journalists in producing and disseminating information by tackling misinformation and other harmful content.
The union thereby called on public officers to always give media professionals access to information saying, despite the Freedom of Information Act, public officers still treat some kind of information as classified and confidential.
It maintained that media as the fourth estate of the realm must be seen as a formidable partner in the task of nation building.
World Press Freedom Day was declared in 1993 by the United Nations General Assembly to provide an avenue to pay tribute to media professionals who risked or lost their lives in the line of duty.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
