The meeting was attended by National, Zonal and State leaders from the Zones including the National Chairman of NAWOJ and some past leaders.
The meeting which was held at Sallaha Suites and Apartments resolved as follows:
- It commended the NUJ leaders in the zones especially the convener of the meeting who is also the Deputy National President of the Union, Mallam Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi for providing the platform to discuss issues of common interests.
- It called on State Governments in the zones to urgently address the high rate of insecurity including banditry, cattle rustling and insurgency in the affected states to pave way for rapid development.
- However, the meeting commended the Service Chiefs under the leadership of General Christopher Musa (CDS) for their proactive approaches towards steming the tides of insecurity, ranging from the acts of terrorism, kidnapping and other forms of criminalities across the Country since assumption of office in less than one year. They particularly commended the CDS General Christopher Musa for raising the banner of Military and Civil Relationship as well as entrenching a synergy of purpose between the military and the citizenry, especially the rural dwellers.
- The meeting condoled with the people and Government of Borno State on the recent deaths of 9 members of the Civilian Joint TaskForce through landmines while on routine duties.
- The forum equally condoled with the Bauchi State Council of the NUJ over the death of a veteran Journalist, Mallam Usman Tahir, a former staff of BATV and Albarka Radio, Bauchi.
- On the deplorable state of roads in the two zones, the Communique appealed to the Federal Government to take deliberate measures to curb the rates of accidents and other negative vices.
- While calling on governments at all levels to address the alarming rates of out of school children in the Zones, delegates also want governments to deliberately focus on ways of tackling malnutrition among children in the North West and North Eastern States.
- The meeting called on the Federal Government to compel the National Electricity Regulatory Agency and the Distribution Companies to as a matter of urgency, replace the vandalized electricity towers supplying power to some States in the region, particularly Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa and Taraba.
- On the current fuel scarcity being experienced across the nation, the meeting called on the Federal Government to take urgent measures to ameliorate the situation, saying Nigerians are already passing through untold hardships that have crippled many families economically and socially.
- Delegates urged State Governors in the two zones to extend their infrastructural developments to the media establishments and the NUJ Press Centres in their states to provide conducive environment for working Journalists and other media workers.
- The meeting appreciated the commitment of Journalists in the zones towards building a strong nation and urged them to maintain the tempo.
- Participants equally commended the long and cordial relationships existing between zone A and E, calling for the sustenance of the spirit in the overall interests of the two zones.
- As the Union prepares to hold its delegates Conference later this year, delegates urged other zones to allow the North to produce the next National President of the Union since the region has competent hands to build on the achievements and progress made by the present national leadership.
- Participants however, stressed the need for contestants and their supporters to concentrate on issue based campaigns rather than engaging in campaigns of calumny.
Signed,
VP Zone E.
VP Zone A.
Secretary Zone E.
Secretary Zone A.
COMMUNIQUE DRAFTING COMMITTEE
Lynn Adda
National Trustee Zone E
Chairman
Umar Sai’du
Chairman Bauchi Council, Member
Abba Murtala
Secretary, Kano Council, Member
Chiroma Ali Ibrahim
Secretary, Borno Council, Secretary
