Chairman of the council in Anambra state comrade Emmanuel Ifesinachi said a situation where by the union currently depends on charity to run the affairs of the council does not augur well emphasizing the need for government to consider giving the union monthly subvention as the press is the 4th arm of government .
Speaking during an exclusive interview with the reporter in Awka , Ifesinachi stated that journalists are the 4th estate of the realm and by virtue of that , they are supposed to be the 4th organ of government . Although he observed that government-press relationship in Anambra is cordial but he equally stressed the dire need to strenghten journalists' affinity with government as well as tighten up loosed ends .
Ifesinachi further disclosed that the council was working closely with the Anambra state government inorder to elicit support from government in the area of subvention to the council .
According to him , government was supposed to be giving monthly subvention to the state council of the NUJ but the situation seems different in Anambra state even though he expressed hope that when the the state governor is approached on the issue , he would find it very expedient to release money for the running of the council as it is done in other states of the federation .
The NUJ chairman also disclosed that part of the efforts made by his administration to uplift the dwindling image of the union is that the union is in laison with institutions to ensure that journalists are properly and adequately trained to enable them function professionally .
He also stated that the leadership of the council was discussing with donor agencies to profer on-the-job training for members of the union who lack requisite rudimentary knowlรจdge stressing that in no distant time the first batch of journalists that would be trained in mass communication and journalism will embark on their training .
Ifesinachi said that the union has also decided to float what he termed an integrity committee . He said the committee would be charged with the responsibility to obsesrve the conduct of members in the course of their official duties as well as recommend them for award of honour in the area of investigative journalism and moral rectitude .
Though he pointed out that the establishment of the integrity committee was equally intended to fight fake journalists and intruders in the union . He noted that at the outset of his administration , ethics and disciplinary committee was set up to call erring members to order and to further intensify the war against intruders and fake practitioners in the council , the union is coming up with a task force to help do justice to fake and counterfeit journalism in Anambra state .
