Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Abia State council, has enjoined the State government to put a tab on the activities of security agencies in the 17 local government areas of the State so as to curtail molestation, harassment, intimidation and extortion of the residents.
This council also urged the leadership of security agencies in the State to encourage their personnel to discharge their duties professionally.
The demand was contained in a 9-point communique issued by the Abia NUJ after its monthly meeting at its State secretariat in Umuahia.
The communique, which was signed by the Chairman, Comrade Victor Ndukwe and Adaeze Ralph Igbokwe, Secretary, said Abia citizens were law-abiding and would always appreciate the efforts of security personnel aimed at protecting them, as well as stamping out crime in the State, but should not dehumanized.
The NUJ congress commended the State government for ensuring the dismantling of road blocks along Aba road and Bende road in Umuahia, respectively, but observed that the police personnel have resorted to blocking some roads, thereby destabilizing ignorant road users and forcing residents and shop owners along that axis to go to bed unusually early.
The journalists urged the Abia State government to urgently unveil its plans on provision of palliatives for Abians to cushion the devastating effects of fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.
They also charged Governor Alex Otti to launch his 10 billion naira micro, small and medium enterprises scheme funding as he promised on his inauguration day, as doing so would help in tackling the high rate of youth unemployment.
They observed that the Governor is yet to fulfill the 10 billion naira funding as he promised earlier, two months after his swearing-in, noting that launching the financial scheme would create multiplier effects on the State’s economy.
The Journalists commended the efforts of the governor in refuse disposal and general waste management.
They equally lauded him for ongoing works on some bad roads in major cities of the State but raised alarm over the dilapidated conditions of Isi Gate area of Umuahia.
They commended the plans by the State government to clear unpaid gratuities and pensions of retired Judges in the State and urged the State government to hasten verification exercises of pensioners in the State to enable them receive their pensions seamlessly.
The communique ended by calling for the clearing of outstanding worker’s salaries by December, 2023, as earlier promised by Otti, but commended him for prompt payment of July salaries of the State’s civil servants and payment of inherited April salary arrears.
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