The Abia State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has commended Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of the state, for the result-orientated steps taken to tackle resurging kidnappings for ransom in the state.
During its monthly congress presided over by Victor Ndukwe, the chairman, the council urged the government to throw in everything in its arsenal to curb the trend for the state to continue to maintain its record of tranquillity.
As well, in a 12- paragraph communiqué raised at the congress, the council called for a grassroots approach to eradicating kidnapping and other forms of criminality through the formation of government-sanctioned vigilantes at the village level that should be charged with combing the forests to fish out foreign elements in such places with traditional rulers and other levels of community leadership taking charge of the recruitment process of the personnel of such vigilante groups in their locality.
It also commended the governor and his administration for their zeal and commitment toward the completion of the NUJ permanent secretariat project.
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However, it urged the state government to find lasting solution to incessant robbery attacks/ kidnapping at World Bank Housing Estate (WBHE) Umuahia, as residents could hardly sleep with their eyes closed.
It further called on the state government to prevail on security operatives in the state to stop the harassment, intimidation and extortion of citizens, particularly at checkpoints, noting that the checkpoints in front of Police headquarters and the MOPOL Base Junction, both on Bende Road, Umuahia, have become notorious in extortion and harassment of motorists.
In the communiqué, it reiterated its appeal to government to continue to strive to clear the arrears of salaries owed pensioners and staff of Hospital Management Board (HMB) and also called on Abians who are yet to obtain their Permanent Voter’s Card to do so while the INEC registration window is still open, to enable them to vote candidates of their choice during polling during the 2023 general elections.
Finally, it appealed to proprietors of private media houses to ensure the welfare of their staff through regular payment of salaries, while urging journalists in the state to be alive to their responsibilities as societal watchdog and agenda setters and shun partisanship electioneering as 2023 general elections gathers momentum.
