By Patrick Titus, Uyo
For what has been observed as a steady move to enhance improved welfare of pensioners through prompt payment of entitlement to Akwa Ibom State retired civil servants, the League of Veteran Journalists in the state has lauded Governor Umo Eno.
Chairman of the League, Sunny Antai, made the commendation at their end of year get-together at the Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Uyo over the weekend.
Antai also commended the governor for instituting the health insurance scheme for pensioners, and also called for training of more medical doctors who could be posted to health centres to take up health services where they operate health insurance schemes
He pointed out that there was a printer bought about 10 years ago which is lying fallow, expressing doubts about its functionality after these years.
The League, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Akanimo Sampson on Sunday, called on the state government to use more of the state electronic media in promoting its activities than patronising outside television stations.
“We are of the view that the government should equip and fund the state broadcasting corporation to compete favourably with those outside the state”, the League said.
While the veteran journalists also commended the leadership of the state council of the NUJ for its effective display of competence in handling its affairs, they advised that the League should be called upon to train the young journalists in various media spaces in Akwa Ibom.
Chairman of the occasion, Akparawa Michael Bush, in his speech, encouraged the youths to respect elders at all times and at public events. He commended the veterans for staying together always despite the challenges facing them.
He supported calls for the state government to pay closer attention to the elderly and pledged to work together with the League, and the state government for the good of Akwa Ibom.
A retired don of the University of Uyo, who was the guest lecturer, Prof. Des Wilson challenged journalists to keep to the rules of the profession, charging them to be “cautious, comprehensive, maintain concord, be simple and give complete reports always.”
He encouraged the League to set up a panel to work out modalities for who should be addressed as a veteran, especially with regards to age, adding, “the panel should determine the age for who should be accepted as a veteran, whether from 60 or 65 years.”
The event attracted mostly the fathers of the journalism profession, and played host to a prime trainer like Prof. Wilson, Michael Bush, the NUJ cchairman, Nsibiet John, who was represented by his vice, and a former NUJ chair in the state, Akparawa Ikpong Essien-Udom.
Also, former Information Commissioner and ex-General Manager of the NTA, Uyo, Mrs. Christy Obot, graced the occasion.
