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AKURE – Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ), Ondo State chapter has called on the state government to speed up the ongoing negotiations on the newly approved N73,000 minimum wage announced by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The union urged the authorities involved to ensure the new minimum wage is paid soonest to cushion the effects of the current economic downturn in the country.
This was contained in a communique issued by the union at the end of its October monthly congress presided over by the state state Chairman, Prince Leke Adegbite, on Thursday at the Press Centre, Akure, the state capital.
The newsmen also called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to organised sales outlets where food items could be accessed by the public at subsidized rates.
The communique reads in parts: “The Congress calls on the Ondo State Government to fast-track negotiations with the organized labour and ensure timely implementation of N73,000 new minimum wage for its workers as promised by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to cushion the effects of the current economic hardship; and to as well put in place some Palliative measures in the state particularly selling of food items at a subsidized rate to the public.
“The Congress pleads with the Ondo State Minimum Wage Technical Committee headed by the Head of Service to consider and protect the interest of the Staff of the Owena Press Limited (The Hope newspaper) by coming up with better salary scale for them that will reflect the current economic reality, and appeals to the State Government to increase monthly allocation to the media outfit to enable the new Managing Director, Mr Kayode Fasua to carry out various innovations at the newspaper.
“The Congress commends Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for paying the 2024 Leave Bonus to the State Workers in record time and timely promotion of deserving workers in which some NUJ members benefitted.
“Our Union also expresses satisfaction with Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration in sustaining School Free Shuttle Buses for students in the State, tasks the State Government to conclude without further delay the process of Recruiting teachers for public Primary and Secondary schools in the state, as inadequate number of teachers is really crippling the sector.”
Meanwhile, the union also assessed the ongoing political activities in the state, thereby commending the way campaigns are being carried out by the political parties.
It, therefore, urged them to ensure their campaigns are issues-based, adding that candidates should caution their supporters to operate with the ambit of the law.
The communique states: “The Congress analyzed the political situation in Ondo state ahead of the November 16, 2024 governorship election especially since the flag-off of campaigns by different political parties, and urges the candidates and their supporters to sustain the current peaceful political activities before, during and after the election.
“The Congress equally charges political parties and their Candidates to make their Campaigns more issue-based to enable the electorate to make the right choice, while cautioning Voters not to mortgage their future and that of their children with Vote Trading during the November 16 election.
“While expressing satisfaction with level of preparations by various key stakeholders especially the INEC and Security agencies, the NUJ Congress calls on them to provide level playing field for candidates before and during the governorship election, for a credible and acceptable poll.
“While advising INEC to be very Strict and work with the Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in accrediting journalists for the election to prevent fake practitioners from causing unrest in the state with their unprofessional reports, the Congress encourages members of the pen profession to continue to uphold the ethics of journalism especially the Fact-Checking mechanism in doing their jobs.
“Ondo NUJ Congress applauds the Ondo State Ministry of Infrastructure under the Special Adviser to Mr Governor, Pastor Joseph Ayo Babalola for recent assistance rendered on the Press Centre road and Sports Arena.”
