Uyo – Members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Press Corps say they will withdraw their services over alleged maltreatment by the leadership of the House.
A member of the Press Corps, who told our reporter, said it was not only embarrassing, but sad to be paid a miserable “five thousand naira monthly salary, an amount that can hardly cover their transport fare to the Assembly complex for three days”.
Another journalist said they will take the House by surprise when they return from recess, expressing shock at the level of ingratitude displayed by the lawmakers, saying, ”It is very humiliating and embarrassing for the State House of Assembly to pay members of the press corps N5,000 monthly stipends. I don’t think the Speaker is aware, but if he is, then, this is the worst House of Assembly in the history of Akwa Ibom”.
“I have worked for different Assemblies. I’ve never experienced this type of treatment”, another journalist complained.
Corroborating the report, a media aide to a principal officer of the House, said the House pays N5,000 to the print journalists and N10,000 to their broadcast counterparts.
Speaking further, he expressed displeasure over the negative trend, where lawmakers and other government functionaries encourage quackery rather than engaging qualified journalists, a situation he attributed to underreporting and image crisis in both the executive and legislative arms of the government.
It was also gathered that there’s no office for the Press Corps. To this end, journalists perch on spare seats in the canteen to write news, especially those who must meet deadlines to avoid filing stale news.
While many berate members, others finger the press secretary to the Speaker, for not protecting the interests of the Press Corps.
