Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
In its resolve to ensure that journalism was practiced in line with the best ethical practices to earn practitioners the required respect and dignity, Bauchi State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has constituted and Inaugurated a 5 – member Ethics and Disciplinary Committee.
While inaugurating the Committee yesterday at the NUJ Press Center, Bauchi, Council Chairman, Comrade Umar Sa’id said that the Committee became necessary in order to check some excesses and unethical behaviors of some of the Journalists.
Umar Sa’id regretted that because of the bad behavior of a few of the bad elements within the NUJ membership, the profession is losing respect, honour and dignity a tide he said must be reversed positively.
He charged members of the Committee to discharge the task ahead of them with the seriousness it deserves saying, “you have the Constitutional powers to invite any member including me as the Chairman for questioning in the event of any unethical behavior”.
The NUJ Chairman added that, “by your pedigree, character, status in the profession and wealth of experience, we as a Council is convinced that you will make a positive impact on the profession to reclaim our dignity and honour”.
In his response on behalf of other members of the Committee, its Chairman, Mohammed Sani Mohammed assured that, “as a committee, we will do our best to do what you want us to do, we really need to reclaim our lost glory professionally”.
Sani Mohammed however warned that, “we are not a court but an ombudsman who will ensure that the right thing was done always. We are to ensure that unethical behavior among members were corrected no matter who is involved”.
He then appealed to practicing Journalists in the state to feel free to approach the Committee for any unethical observations saying, “we are hear to direct not to victimize any body”.
The Ethic and Disciplinary Committee is made up of Mohammed Sani Mohammed one time Press Secretary to former Dep Governor of Bauchi and former NUJ Council Chairman as the Chairman; Suleiman Ibrahim, NTA Bauchi GM; Maleka C. ISHAYA, Acting Director of Information, State Ministry of information; Umar Shira, a Director at Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC) members while Ishola Michael, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda and a staff of Nigerian Tribune Newspapers is to serve as the Secretary. END