The Chairperson of the Lagos chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Adeola Ekini, on Sunday called for improved welfare for journalists, and other workers in the nation.
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Ekini, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, said that inflation had affected the nation’s minimum wage.
She said this had made it difficult for workers to cope with the skyrocketing prices of food and other commodities.
“The welfare package is not encouraging enough, and I believe that government can do more,” she said.
She appealed to Federal and State Governments as well as the private sector to review workers’ salaries and pay living wages commensurable to current economic realities.
She called for a special remuneration package for journalists, who were usually on the frontline undertaking dangerous assignments without commensurate pay.
Ekini also appealed that media owners should be mandated to give more attention to journalists’ welfare, adding that the professionals worked round the clock and in hazardous conditions, hence the need for improved welfare.
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She appealed for health and life insurance policies for journalists in addition to adequate training and retraining on safety and security to reduce work-related accidents and deaths.
Ekini urged workers in Lagos and across the nation to remain steadfast and keep hope alive in spite of all the challenges the nation was going through.
She thanked the nation’s leadership for always celebrating workers on May Day while congratulating all workers nationwide.
She expressed the hope that the re-opening of the nation’s borders would improve the economy, and boost local and foreign investments.
NAN.
(C)ControlTV2022.
