Lagos NUJ Election: Dr. Akinreti Promises Better Life, New Era For Journalists

One of the chairmanship candidates for the 2017 election of the Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr Qasim Akinreti, has assured its members that his administration, if elected into office, would usher in a new era of prosperity for journalists.

He also said that he may look into the complaints made by members over the issue of land allocation by the National Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, and the NUJ. Akinreti made this statement during a campaign visit to NUJ members at New Telegraph office in Lagos.

Accompanied by several supporters, the candidate said that his campaign mandate was titled: “A New Beginning for NUJ Lagos Council- Let’s rebuild the NUJ Lagos Council of our dream”.

While responding to complaints from the members regarding the failed land ownership scheme which was instituted in Ogun State, Akinreti said it was not his duty to probe what the past executives did but it would be his administration’s duty to demand what belongs to its members from them.

Akinreti said: “Some members paid for perimeter fencing. Others paid for Estates but didn’t receive anything. I was not part of it anyway. So, I cannot make much complain.

“However, it’s not our duty to probe what they had done, but it’s our duty to demand what belongs to the members and then appropriately ensure that they are given the lands and houses they paid for.

“We would also ensure that the members partake in the dividends that come in, alongside a token welfare program. “Welfare of the members would also be of paramount importance, mainly in terms of life insurance policies. We would also be prudent and keep our word, even towards the land allocations given to members.

“We believe it is important that our members live a comfortable life. And part of the welfare program is to provide a new housing policy, which we would negotiate with the Lagos State government on behalf of our members. “Our negotiations would be to solve the issue on why our members are not part of Lagos homes?

Why our members are not part of ‘Lagos rent-to-own scheme’? Why is it difficult for our members to build houses in the past six-seven years after they had paid for the land?

He added: “The program you are seeing is about the new beginning for the Lagos NUJ and that new era starts today. “The new beginning is about the integrity of the Union in terms of adding value to our members.

This is a Union that would solely serve the interest of all members and not of a few. “We would portray true accountability in terms of revealing available funds present with the union and this would be done through a careful budgetary review,” he said.