The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has congratulated journalists on the 70th anniversary of their umbrella body, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), saying the organisation has continued to stand the test of time.
Speaker Abbas, in a congratulatory message issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, on Saturday, called for better welfare for Nigerian journalists.
The Speaker urged journalists to continue to train and retrain themselves to be more ethical and development-oriented.
He added that with the new trends in information and communication technology (ICT), journalists must continue to learn, unlearn, and relearn on their job.
The Speaker commended the Nigerian journalists for their immeasurable contributions to the country’s democracy and development, while holding the government and its officials accountable.
He noted that the media is called the fourth estate of the realm because its practitioners are critical stakeholders in society, who have enormous power and influence on the people.
Speaker Abbas expressed his belief that better journalists will make a better society, noting their watch-dog role in the polity.
He said the House is ready to welcome legislation that seek to promote the sanctity of journalism and enhance the capacity of journalists and media professionals as a whole.
