By Banji Ayoola
The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ in Ondo State has commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on moves by his administration to turn the state-owned Owena Press Limited into a corporation.
As the first major legal step towards the planned incorporation, the state’s House of Assembly had on Thursday held a public session over the plan.
Owena Press Limited, a printing and publishing firm, is the publisher of The Hope newspapers and magazine.
The NUJ at its Congress on Thursday, thanked the governor for heeding its call to incorporate the company to increase productivity and enhance staff welfare.
It gave the commendation in a communique issued at the end of the congress, and signed by Mr Olaoluwa Meshack, its State Secretary.
The document was prepared by the union’s communique drafting committee including: Damilola Isaiah of Correspondents’ chapel; Adebiyi Jimisayo — Federated Chapel;and Joy Pius — OSRC/Orange FM chapel.
In it, the union “appreciated the Ondo State Governor Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for yielding to the call by NUJ to convert the Owena Press Limited, a private liability company to a Corporation under the State Ministry of Information, noting that the move would automatically mainstream the staffers of the organization into the State Civil Service.”
Also, the union “called for quick passage of the execution bill which has undergone the second reading at the State House of Assembly.”
Following is the full communique:
“The Congress convened at half past four in the evening at the Press Centre, Alagbaka, Akure, and presided over by the State Chairman, Leke Adegbite.
It deliberated extensively on wide range of issues from political, economy, environment, to security and other issues affecting the media industry. After exhaustive deliberation, the Congress resolved as follows;
1. That the Congress appreciated the Ondo State Governor Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for yielding to the call by NUJ to convert the Owena Press Limited, a private liability company to a Corporation under the State Ministry of Information, noting that the move would automatically mainstream the staffers of the organization into the State Civil Service.
The Congress, while congratulating the workers in the organization, however called for quick passage of the execution bill which has understood the second reading at the State House of Assembly.
2. That the Congress commended the Ondo State Government for the recent engagement of new staff members at the state owned Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC) and called on the Government to expedite action on the absorption of contract staffers whose appointments were not regularized alongside their colleagues during the last recruitment exercise.
3. That the Congress expressed concern over the worrisome security situations in some parts of the state, particularly the increasing cases commercialized kidnapping in Akure North local government area to Uso-Owo axis;
The Union called on governments, both at state and federal levels to intensify efforts at curbing the menace and ensuring that perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice.
4. That the Congress commended Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for the recent recruitment of additional officers into the Ondo State Security Network Organization, the Amotekun Corps, to strengthen security architecture in the state, and urged the state government to sustained its efforts at guaranteeing the safety of lives and property of the people of the state.
5. That the Congress decried frequent increase in transportation fares across all routes in the state, even as the prices of petroleum products seemed stable, and called on the Ondo State Government; the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) to regulate unwholesome activities of commercial drivers and to address the situation to guide against putting undue hardship on travellers.
6. That the Congress frowned at the arbitrary increase in building materials and house rents across the state, particularly, in Akure, and called on the State Government to regulate activities of House Agents and dealers of building materials to ease the burden being put on residents.
7. That the Congress appealed to the Federal Government and the National Boundary Commission to urgently intervene in the oil-rich Eba Island boundary dispute between Ondo and Ogun States, in order to prevent escalation and possible violence.
It also urged both states to exercise restraint and resolve the faceoff amicably legally.
8. That the Congress condemned in strong terms the crisis that erupted during the recent political congress in Ondo state and urged politicians to exercise restraint ahead of the 2027 general elections. It also called on security agencies to investigate and ensure that culprits are prosecuted appropriately in line with the laws of the land.”
