Bauchi Governor Wants ‘Koboless’ Engagement of Journalists Stopped 

By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi

Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi has called for a stoppage to the syndrome where journalists are being engaged in a media organization without been paid salary, allowance or stipend.

The Governor frowned, “I have discussed this abnormality with media men at highest level, Newspaper Proprietors of Nigeria, Guilds of Editors, we have to stop that”.

Senator Bala Mohammed was speaking while receiving national officers of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) who were in Bauchi for their Central Working Committee (CWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings respectively.

“Government establishments, private media establishments, individual organizations must be able to remunerate and pay media men very well, that today are not doing, even though they are making money”.

Governor Bala added, “We are talking of minimum wage, some media men don’t even have wages and salaries, they are not even casual workers, because they don’t get anything, but are only giving opportunity to be in the media houses, and that’s all. And the media houses are doing well”.

Senator Bala, who also started carrier with the journalism profession, said “So, we have to look at our profession, because whoever own a media house must have started within the media ladder.

He therefore urged the Nawojians to during their meetings to freely discuss some of these issues, including the country’s economy, leadership at the federal, state and local government levels.

According to him, the Nawojians should look at what Nigerians need to do better, what we are doing well, and what we have done well should be publicize so that it could encourage others.

The Governor expressed the believe that no people in any societal setting that are adequately prepared by their noble profession to lead than the journalists or media men.

He said that women journalists are similarly trustworthy and careful in handling societal matters, saying “Media people are generals in management and leadership, because they know all the multidimensional problems and challenges in all the sectors for them to be able to report very well”.

Governor Mohammed asserted, “Iam proud to say that I’m a journalist, anytime, any moment. And that profession has prevailed me to conquer fear and developed confidence that I have”.

Mohammed said that as a federalist who believe in federal government where he developed alot of modest capacity to lead by interaction and healthy competition with his counterparts at the federal level from all nooks and corners of Nigeria.

“I am always excited to see an array of leaders from nooks and corners of Nigeria coming to discuss issues, discuss Nigeria. I know alot will come out of your meetings here in Bauchi. So, I want let you know that you have a profession that has to be protected too”.

He therefore counseled the women journalists to hold the mirror very well so that it don’t blurred when criticizing governments, institutions and authorities, adding “There is no how we will come out of our problems without the media, because you are the conscience of the nation and its people”.

“You educate the people, you entertain them, you let them know how to develop their sensibilities, their senses of judgments, their capacities to surpass from wrongs to rights, and to choose wisely, so that we must continue to do that’s”.

“We here in Bauchi have came up with a templates, with a programme for development, from the day we started campaigns, so that we will live with the hindsight of knowledge, planning, execution with a timeline, with modest and affordable costs”, he concluded.

Speaking earlier, the NAWOJ National Chairperson, A’isha Ibrahim commended Governor Bala Mohammed for the transformation of the old Bauchi Government House into a World class Presidential villa, an edifice, she said, has made curricuture of the Whitehouse in Washington.

Hajiya A’isha Ibrahim also applauded Senator Bala Mohammed for being the first governor as fr
[26/10, 13:01] MUHAMMED KAWU: Hajiya A’isha Ibrahim also applauded Senator Bala Mohammed for being the first governor as friend of the association to host the NAWOJ – CWC and NEC meetings which have long been due for.

The Chairperson explained that since their elections in November 2023, the two meetings have been their major challenges which, she argued, are the constitutional requirements of any leadership of the association.

She said that the transformation of Bauchi state was unbelievable, saying the state will continue to be proud of Governor Bala for many years, saying the new Government House is a proud to the entire Northeast, and prayed that the governor would take the nation’s front banner seat come 2027 polls.

About The Author

Editor

See author's posts