Media Salary Scale: NUJ, Information Minister settles score this week- Odusile

By The Nigerian Voice
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The much awaited special salary scale for journalists is to be arrived at before the end of the week as leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ and the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed convey another meeting through which a concrete agreement is expected to be reached.

Journalists and media workers have for long been clamouring for a media salary scale to be at par with their counterparts in other sectors whose salary scale is different from that of the civil service.

They argued that considering the myriads of hazards militating against the practice of journalism in the country and poor welfare package for members of the fourth estate of the realm, it is expedient that their pay package be reviewed to enhance their living condition.

The informantng.com gathered that the NUJ national president would lead other delegates to meet with the Information minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to settle the age long salary dichotomy between media workers and other specialized profession in the country.

According to Odusile, the discrimination in the pay package is an injustice to journalists who risk their lives against all odds to inform, educate and entertain the society, noting that men of the pen pushing profession are found at every scene including war fronts where only soldiers operate.

“I am sure our members will be happy to hear the good news. We have made a major step forward on this issue of special media salary scale; it has been a tedious process since we started the negotiation” he said.

“The media salary scale is the only request we are putting on the table, very key to us is the working condition of our members and their safety, we’ll ensure that no journalists will be harassed, threatened and unlawfully detained or jailed.”

Odusile, expressed optimism that the decisive meeting with the minister would bear good fruits in the weeks ahead thereby dismissing the insinuations that the current leadership of the union did nothing about the special salary and other welfare packages.