Society Should Be Fair To Journalists, They’re Suffering – Elder Solomon Ayoade
A Veteran Journalist, Elder Solomon Ayoade has let out the many sufferings of men of the fourth estate of the realm in the phase of the current economic hardship occasioned by post subsidy removal on Premium Motor Spirit, PMS by the administration of president Bola Tinubu
Elder Ayoade, retired Director at the Oyo State Ministry of Information lamented the living condition of journalists saying they struggle to strike balance between their job exigencies and family responsibilities
Elder Ayoade who spoke unbehalf of the National Trustee of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bayo Akamo at the maiden retreat and prayer organised by Nigeria Association of Christian Journalists NACJ held at Government House Chapel, Agodi, Ibadan, canvassed empowerment for journalists to enable them deliver on their constitutional mandate of fair, objective and fair reportage of informative, educative and entertaining news to the Nigerian public.
While soliciting the sympathy of the public on journalists to engender meaningful development in the society, the veteran Journalist and former state chairman of Oyo NUJ, called for special welfare provision for the gentle men of the press to perform their role optimally
The subsidy removal is affecting journalists, they go to the same markets, pay heavily to train their children, they ride on rickety cars. Majority of them aren’t not being paid by their employers while some of them are unjustly sacked and laid off when they reach senior cadre.
I retired as a level 17 officer at the Oyo state Ministry of Information, by the end of the month, I receive my pension but some journalists don’t have anything to take home, their employers are owing them. The society must be fair to journalists. Elder Ayoade added.
Elder Ayoade commended members of the Nigeria Association of Christian journalists, NACJ Oyo State for standing out in the profession and called on Churches to empower Christian journalists to project the works of the gospel saying Publicity is not cheap.
