NUJ Ondo Urges Fresh Recruitment, Better Welfare for Media Workers
By Exponent News Akure 30th August,2025
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, has called on the state government to urgently employ fresh staff across its media organizations, including OSRC, The Hope Newspaper and the State Ministry of Information, to address manpower shortages.
The resolution was part of a communiqué issued at the end of the Union’s monthly congress held on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at the NUJ Press Centre, Alagbaka, Akure. The congress, presided over by the State Chairman, Prince Leke Adegbite, was well attended by members from across all chapels.
In the communiqué, the union frowned at the increasing casualization of media workers and the non-payment of salaries by some private media organizations, stressing that such practices run contrary to labour laws.
The NUJ also urged the Federal Government to upgrade obsolete equipment and employ more personnel at its media establishments in Ondo State, including NTA and Radio Nigeria Positive FM, Akure. It further appealed to the federal authorities to approve promotions for qualified media workers this year as a morale booster.
On welfare matters, the union called on the State Accountant-General to pay the four-month arrears of the new minimum wage owed staff of Owena Press, publishers of The Hope Newspaper, covering November 2024 to February 2025, in line with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s approval.
It also tasked the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Idowu Ajanaku, to collaborate with labour unions and the Ministry of Justice to ensure timely restructuring and mainstreaming of Owena Press into a corporation, noting that the current structure hampers the career growth of journalists.
The Congress commended the state government for upgrading facilities at the NUJ Press Centre following its earlier appeal, and also lauded recent progressive policies in the education sector, particularly the ban on graduation ceremonies for nursery/primary pupils and JSS3 students, and the directive on re-use of textbooks. It, however, urged effective enforcement of the policies and demanded the release of the approved textbooks list for the new academic session.
While encouraging Governor Aiyedatiwa to remain focused on the state’s progress, the NUJ expressed worry over rising crime rates, linking insecurity to worsening economic hardship. It called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to humanize his economic policies to ease the burden on citizens.
The union further applauded the ongoing dualisation of the Akure–Ado Ekiti and Ore–Ondo–Akure roads but pressed Ondo lawmakers at the national level to lobby for urgent reconstruction of other dilapidated federal roads, including Ikare–Irun–Ado Ekiti road, Owo–Ipele–Isua Akoko–Kabba road and Ikare–Arigidi–Ajowa road.
The communiqué was signed by the State Secretary of the union, Olaoluwa Meshack, on behalf of the Communiqué Drafting Committee chaired by Kehinde Adewumi with members Damilola Isiah and Hosea Olusegun.
Details
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE MONTHLY CONGRESS OF THE NIGERIA UNION OF JOURNALISTS, NUJ, ONDO STATE COUNCIL, HELD ON THE 28TH AUGUST, 2025 AT THE PRESS CENTRE, ALAGBAKA, AKURE*
The Congress, presided over by the State Chairman of the union, Prince Leke Adegbite, and was well attended by members from across all chapels. After critical deliberations, the following decisions were taken;
2. That while applauding efforts of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration at improving facilities at OSRC Media Group, the NUJ Congress calls for urgent employment of fresh staff at the state owned media organizations (OSRC, The Hope newspaper and the State Ministry of Information.
3. That the Congress frowns at the casualization of staff by both government and private media organizations as well as non- payment of staff by some private media organizations, saying such acts run contrary to the labour laws.
4. That the Congress again calls for upgrading of obsolete equipment and recruitment of more manpower at various federal media outfits in Ondo State (NTA & Radio Nigeria Positive FM, Akure), while the Federal Government should consider all its qualified media workers for promotion this year as a moral booster for them.
5. That the Congress enjoins the Ondo State Accountant General to pay the four-months arrears of the new Minimum wage to Staff of Owena Press (The Hope newspaper) as approved by Governor Aiyedatiwa. The arrears cover from November, 2024 to February, 2025.
6. That the Congress appeals to the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Idowu Ajanaku to work closely with stakeholders especially labour unions and the State Ministry of Justice for timely restructuring and mainstreaming of the Owena Press to a corporation, as Ondo NUJ is not happy with the current structure that does not allow our members to have a proper and fulfilled working career.
7. That the Congress appreciates immediate intervention and commitment of the Ondo State Government at upgrading of facilities at the NUJ Press Centre, Akure, following our last congressional appeal.
8. That the Congress expresses appreciation to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s Government over timely progressive policies in the education sector especially banning of graduation ceremonies for Nursery/primary school pupils and JSS3 students, and ordering of re-use of textbooks by students in the state. The Union calls for effective implementation and enforcement of the new policies to prevent further exploitation of parents. It charges officials and the Commissioner in-charge of the state Ministry of Education to release to the public, approved lists of primary and secondary schools textbooks for the new academic session.
9. That the Congress encourages Governor Aiyedatiwa to remain focussed in pursuing the progress and development of the state for overall benefit of the residents and for prosperity.
10. That the Congress expresses concern over disturbing rate of minor and major crimes in the society, and challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give human face to his Government’s economic policies as economic hardship is one of the main causes of insecurity in this part of the world.
12. That while commending ongoing dualusation of Akure-Ado Ekiti road and Ore-Ondo-Akure road by the Federal Government, the NUJ Congress urges Ondo State representatives at the national level to push for the reconstruction of deplorable federal roads such as Ikare-Irun-Ado Ekiti road, Owo-Ipele-Isua Akoko-Kabba road and Ikare-Arigidi-Ajowa road.
COMMUNIQUE DRAFTING COMMITTEE;
1. Kehinde Adewumi —State Information Chapel
2. Damilola Isiah —Correspondents’ Chapel
3. Hosea Olusegun —Digital Media chapel
E-signed:
Olaoluwa Meshack
State Secretary, NUJ.
