The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has said it is planning, in collaboration with newspaper owners, to sponsor a bill to penalise media establishments that owe journalists.
National President of the NUJ Christopher Isiguzo stated this, Friday in Makurdi, at an interactive session with members of the union.
NUJ Benue Council had earlier complained of regular intimidation, harassment and detention, over their reports like ordinarily criminals.
Isiguzo said when the bill was passed into law, media houses would no longer owe workers salaries, pointing out there was need for stakeholders to respect journalists and desist from abusing them.
According to the NUJ president, the practice of journalism is gradually being viewed as a crime in Nigeria, as members are no longer honoured in the job.
He said journalists need to be accorded respect and where they violate the ethics, should be reported to the union or court of law, rather than resort to unlawful ways.
He said he had already informed President Muhammadu Buhari, Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum, Mr Kayode Fayemi and other governors, on the incessant harassment of members.
Isiguzo said the union was engaging with the information and the Interior ministries, to ensure proper identification of genuine journalists in the country.
“We are going to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Interior and security agencies, so that our members will be easily identified anywhere. We believe the cases of intimidation, harassment among others will be addressed with this move.
“We need to up our game and embrace social media to continue to maintain leading space in the media world. We need to be very serious with our media engagement.”
He said the union was planning to bring together all the online media organisations for effective regulation.
In her remark, Chairman of the Benue Council, Mrs Victoria Ashar, commended the president for the visit and said the union under her watch would continue to support him to actualise his laudable programmes.
