NUJ President Demands Health Insurance for Journalists Nationwide
By Blessing Dennis
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Comrade Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, has called for comprehensive health insurance coverage for journalists across Nigeria, stressing that improved healthcare is essential to the welfare and effectiveness of media practitioners.
Abdullahi made the call at the grand finale of the NUJ Anambra State Council’s 35th anniversary and Press Week celebration held at Annabelle Event Centre, Awka.
He urged the NUJ Anambra State Council to collaborate with the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency to ensure that journalists have access to quality healthcare at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
According to him, a functional health insurance scheme would reduce the burden of out of pocket medical expenses, help address maternal health challenges and contribute to improved universal health coverage.
The NUJ president expressed hope that by the next anniversary, journalists would have better access to healthcare and other welfare packages that would enable them to discharge their professional responsibilities more effectively.
Abdullahi described the 35th anniversary as a celebration of sacrifice, resilience, courage and service to humanity, urging journalists to use the milestone to reflect on the future of the profession.
He said credibility remains the greatest asset of journalism, charging practitioners to uphold truth, verify information before publication and give all sides a fair hearing.
The NUJ national president said the Union would continue to advocate ethical journalism, press freedom, improved welfare, capacity building and better working conditions, stressing that public interest must always take precedence over personal interests.
He also called for a more technologically equipped, professionally competent, economically viable and ethically grounded NUJ in the next 35 years, while urging journalists to remain conscious of the human consequences of their reports, national security and national interest.
He expressed concern over the growing challenge of misinformation and disinformation, urging journalists to strengthen professional standards and protect the credibility of the media through responsible reporting.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the NUJ Anambra State Council, Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, appreciated members of the Union for their commitment to the success of the anniversary celebration.
Odogwu thanked the NUJ national leadership, past and present members of the Council, invited guests, award recipients and other stakeholders for identifying with the celebration.
He described the 35th anniversary as a significant milestone in the history of NUJ in Anambra State, saying it reflected decades of sacrifice, dedication and collective effort by journalists who contributed to the growth of the Council.
He said the celebration was an opportunity to appreciate those who had played important roles in building the Union while looking forward to greater achievements in the years ahead.
