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2023: NUJ Tasks Journalists On Watchdog Role

Published

3 years ago

May 16, 2022

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Mr. Chris Iziguzo, National President, NUJ

Our Reporter, Bauchi

The National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Chris Isiguzo, has tasked all the journalists in Nigeria to squarely take up their watchdog responsibility as the 2023 general elections draw nearer.

The NUJ president made the call in Bauchi on Monday, during a book launch entitled ‘My Journey’ written by Mr Shuaibu Leman, the National Secretary of NUJ in marking his retirement as a civil servant.

According to him, journalists must be very careful and circumspect of the activities of the politicians and disseminate nothing but factual account of events.

“The political actors are already on a rampage somewhat. They are everywhere saying so many things.

“The things they would do, the things they will not do, the things they don’t have capacity for doing.

“It now behoves the media to also rise to the occasion and critically look at what they are saying, examine their policy documents, their visions and missions and all their promises.

“But when you do that, it won’t be the same as what they have done within the period they were given to serve.

“Somebody that has been there overtime and failed cannot possibly bring something new. So, the journalists must begin to set an agenda as we are clearly defined as agenda setters and this is the time for us to assume fully that role and begin to discharge the same.

“We must rise to the occasion and not remain as lap dogs, we must be watchdogs as we have been clearly defined to be,” he said.

Isiguzo described the writer of the book as a selfless man who had clearly rendered a meritorious service to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, hence the array of Journalists that turned up for the occasion to celebrate him.

He added that by the time people go through the book, they would be sitting ‘face to face’ with the happenings within the inner and outer circles of NUJ for the period of 19 years he had served as the National Secretary.

In his remarks, the National Secretary of NUJ, Mr Shuaibu Leman, said that the book was a compilation of what NUJ has done and what it had not succeeded in doing in the past 19 years.

Leman added that little did he realise that the challenges would be so enormous when he was appointed the NUJ national secretary in 2002,

“We tried our best and we hope those who will come after us will equally do more.

“Even as I leave the union, my greatest regret would be centred around lack of adequate payment of salaries for journalists

“Journalists in Nigeria are not properly remunerated and we have tried our best to change the situation.”

He also called on governments at all levels to make protection of lives and property of journalists a priority, adding that the gesture would be regarded as a special consideration for journalism which is pivotal to the development of democracy in the country.

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Published

23 hours ago

September 21, 2025

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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

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The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.