From Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
The Bauchi state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has enjoined the state government to release adequate funds to performing local governments chairmen.
Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Umar Sa’idu made the call Monday during a special press conference conducted by the union at the secretariat of Bogoro local government to brief the world on the commencement of the union’s press week.
He said performing local governments chairmen should be provided with more funds so that they would be encouraged to do more.
Sa’idu pointed out that local governments are closer to the people pointing out that if they are supported, they could execute projects that would impact positively on people’s lives.
The chairman noted that the chairman of Bogoro local government Iliya Habila who is a journalist by profession is one of the most performing chairmen in the state.
According to him, the idea to hold the press conference in Bogoro as against Bauchi NUJ secretariat as usual was to identify with their colleague who has become an elected local government chairman.
Sa’idu explained that during the week long festivities, the union would hold public lecture on the role of the media in national security and socio-economic development.
Other activities lined up for the week he said include; visits to hospitals to provide support, tree planting, award presentations and lunch of the NUJ magazine.
In his remarks, the chairman of Bogoro local government,Hon Iliya Habila expressed appreciation to the journalists for choosing to hold the press conference in his local government.
He said the choice of the local government by working journalists to hold the event was an honour promising that he would continue to operate an open door policy in his administration.
Habila also tasked journalists on rural reporting saying rural people need to be given a voice.
