·
The Caretaker Committee, Imo state Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists led by Comrade Precious Nwadike, ahead of its planned “Press Week” scheduled to start on the December 10,2021 has warned members of the public over the recent noticeable activities and antics of some fraudsters masquerading as journalists, deceiving and extorting money from politicians, business moguls and groups in the name of organizing `press conferences or giving them certain awards.
A statement issued in Owerri on Tuesday December 7 signed by Comrade Precious Nwadike and Comrade Austin Okoro as Chairman and Secretary respectively warns people to “beware of fraudulent awards in the name of Imo NUJ”.
The statement further reads, “the attention of the Imo State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ has been drawn to another infantile and shameful attempt by lay abouts who are without the least qualifications in journalism, masquerading as journalists to discredit our noble Union and profession.
Ordinarily, the Union wouldn’t have bothered itself to join issues with the organizers of the said award ceremony but following series of calls we receive on same subject matter, we resolved to set the record straight for the interest of the public.
This time around, these misfits are reaching out to some Imo sons and daughters with offer of award for money. We understand that at a time like this, preceding general election, some persons with battered image are desperately on the look out for credible organizations for awards. For them, such awards help to launder their battered image. WE RE- EMPHASIZE; IMO NUJ NOT IN BUSINESS OF SELLING AWARDS.
Let it also be known to all, that as a body of media practitioners, we have been on the vanguard of good governance at all levels. While we warn on the consequences of accepting such fraudulent award(s) in our name, we advise politicians to steer clear of our Union ‘s property and any act capable of promoting mediocrity and quackery in the profession.We shall continuously expose such dubious characters behind plot to sell our complex at Port-Harcourt Road, Owerri.
The Union has gone through a lot. We are not unmindful of the fact that Senator Rochas Okorocha, as former governor of Imo State, unduly interfered in the Union’s politics with the sole purpose of taking over our property. This, the former governor did without asking questions to ascertain that those who accepted his offer to buy the Union’s property located at Port Harcourt haven’t such power.
Having lost in such bizarre quest, his moles are still hanging around the Union’s new secretariat which has now been marked for demolition by the Imo State government. It Is therefore disheartening that despite all representations to the Imo State government regarding the foiled attempt to sell our Multi-Million Naira property, Commissioner for Information and strategy, Mr Declan Emelumba has continued to hobnob with these vandals and ex-governor’s agents of land recketeering.
Imo NUJ is at present concerned about cleaning up the mess these moles left. We are not in the business of giving award for personal aggrandizement. The Union has only fixed December 12-17, 2021 for it’s Press Week. We therefore use this opportunity to invite our esteemed friends and well-wishers to a get together on December 17 to round up the Press Week. We shall use that opportunity to unveil some of our facilities for use of the public.”
