By Aideloje Ojo
Minna
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Niger State Council has called on the Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umaru Bago to immediately withdraw the order for the closure of Badeggi Radio station in Minna in the interest of democracy and press freedom .
The Union, in a statement in Minna at the weekend by its Chairman, Comrade Abu Nmodu advised the Governor to approach the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for redress against grievances instead of issuing executive order for the closure of radio media organisation.
“It is only the National Broadcasting Commission NBC that has legal powers to issue license to radio and television stations and can also revoke same through judicial interpretations when such stations err”, the NUJ said
while urging the Governor to thread with caution in accordance with democratic tenants in issuing executive orders.
“The Union therefore call on the Governor to approach NBC and formally lodge his complaint rather than outright directive to close down the station whose licencing is not within his executive power”, he said.
He said that the council is of the belief that the Governor would have made effective use of the NUJ as professional body to table issues relating professional misconducts emphasising the need to carry media practitioners and houses along through partnerships instead of ordering for their closure that is against democratic principles
The union however cautioned that, in as much as the Union will not support gagging of the media houses by the authorities, practitioners in the state should always abide by the ethics of the profession to uphold public confidence, adding that, ” in line with this a committee headed by a Senior Journalist Dan Amashingha has recently been set up to ensure revalidation of membership of the union”.
