The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has called for better pay, insurance coverage, and pensions for journalists across Nigeria.
Ajaero made this call during a visit to the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr. Chris Isiguzo, in Abuja.
Ajaero highlighted the critical role journalists have played in Nigeria’s fight for independence and the current democratic system. Despite their contributions, many journalists struggle to receive their salaries, he noted.
“Journalism is getting worse by the day, even though technology has improved the practice,” Ajaero said. “The welfare of journalists is being neglected. While journalists advocate for everyone, nobody is advocating for them, not even themselves.”
He emphasized the demanding nature of journalism, pointing out that journalists often work through weekends, public holidays, and festive seasons, covering events for others who enjoy these breaks.
He Condemn the lack of solidarity among journalists, stating that when a journalist is sacked or unpaid for a year, other journalists rarely report on such injustices.
Ajaero proposed a biannual consultative mechanism to negotiate with media employers across the country to establish a minimum wage for journalists.
He also called for a pension scheme for journalists and insurance coverage to enhance their working conditions.
“Non-payment of journalists’ salaries should be considered a criminal offense,” Ajaero asserted. He acknowledged the challenges faced by publishers but insisted that these should not prevent them from fulfilling their obligations to their employees, especially regarding salary payments.
“Most reporters spend their modest salaries on transportation to do their job. This is unacceptable,” he added.
Ajaero also stressed the need to regulate online media, suggesting that online media practitioners should be included in the NUJ to ensure accountability and oversight.
In response, Dr. Isiguzo noted that the NUJ is actively working to address the issues facing journalists.
He mentioned that the union is reviewing the Code of Ethics to clearly define the responsibilities and obligations of media employers toward their workers.
“Another major issue is that our check-off dues do not reach the NUJ. We don’t know where they are going, and this needs to be addressed,” Isiguzo said.
