Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Muhammad Musa Bello has commiserated with members of FCT council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) over the death of their colleagues, describing it as a loss to the journalism profession.
The union has lost three members in two months.
Bello who was at the council secretariat in Utako, Abuja on Friday on a condolence visit said the three fallen journalists were friends of the administration which was why he personally wanted to condole with council members.
The minister presented letters of condolence on behalf of the FCT administration to the council chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbeche for onward transmission to the families of the deceased journalists: Grace Nwodo aka Madam Waka of Love FM; Olajide Fashikun of Gong News; and Chris Edoga of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
The trio who were of the FCT council died between late December 2018 and January 2019.
Bello, who was accompanied by the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Mr Umar Gambo Jibrin expressed disappointment at the state of the union’s secretariat.
He assured the council that all hindrances to the completion of the FCT NUJ Secretariat had been cleared and that the contractor will mobilize to site for speedy completion of the secretariat complex.
“I’m surprised that the building is still like this because I thought that by now it would have progressed more than this.
“But I assure you that in the next two weeks, the contractor will be mobilized to site to complete at least the first phase because we agreed that the complex will be completed in phases.
“I can also assure you that when the first phase is completed, the building will be more benefitting than any other in the country,” said the minister.
Welcoming the minister earlier, the council chairman, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche thanked the minister for his continued support to the council, especially in his efforts to ensure the speedy completion of the council’s secretariat.
He lamented the lack of a befitting secretariat for the council and the slow pace of work on the site, calling on the minister to make good his promise to complete the secretariat complex.
Ogbeche called on the minister to provide the council with buses for conveying members to and from union events as well as for sustainable investments that would take the union to the next level.
In a vote of thanks, a former chairman of the council, Comrade Jacob Edi expressed confidence that the minister will make good his promise of ensuring the completion of the FCT NUJ Complex which, according to him, should be befitting of the status of FCT.
There was a tour of the uncompleted secretariat complex by the minister, accompanied by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Chinyeaka Ohaa and other management staff of the FCTA, the Executive Secretary FCDA, Mr Umar Jibrin and members of the FCT NUJ.
