“Our friend, Tony Ita Etim, said we are docile, but God will use our docility to put smiles on the faces of our members. There is no need picking up a fight where there is none,” he stated.
By Our Reporter
The leadership of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Cross River State Council, has debunked a report published by the Southern Examiner in its July 4th edition purporting that the State government had ‘sacked’ the Chapel from its Governor’s Office accommodation.
The Southern Examiner’s article, which had as headlines ‘At Last, C’River Govt. ‘Sacks’ Journalist’s Body from Governor’s Office,’ had attributed the issue to “fifth columnists among Otu’s media aides who made sure they used their contacts within the office to frustrate the allocation of the former office space to the Chapel.”
In its reaction, the Executive Committee members of the Chapel described the report as mischievous, saying the Chapel’s Office matter was deliberately taken out of context to meet premeditated goals, and therefore warned Journalists against peddling falsehood.
Speaking, Chairman of the Chapel, Mrs Eme Offiong, said “Tony Ita Etim is not our member. He belongs to NUJ Akwa Ibom state, neither is Southern Examiner known by the Correspondents Chapel in Cross River state.
“Why is he trying to generate issues over nothing? What is his motive in publishing such falsehood and why is he attempting to create bad blood amongst the government media team and the Correspondents’ Chapel?
“When he called me over the matter, I told him we were not thrown out and that the government had even given us a place which we did not like and that the Chapel Exco were working closely with relevant government officials for another office outside the premises of the Governor’s Office since most of our members seem to prefer an office outside,” the Chairman said.
The Vice Chairman of the Chapel, Pastor Joseph Kingston, in his reaction, said the report was unnecessary and lamented that it sought to link the Chapel Office matter to the reassignment of the immediate past Chief Press Secretary. He warned against misinterpretation of the government’s actions and policies.
“The government of Cross River state has been magnanimous to Journalists, including members of the Correspondents Chapel. As we speak, the government has a robust plan for our members.
“Our friend, Tony Ita Etim, said we are docile, but God will use our docility to put smiles on the faces of our members. There is no need picking up a fight where there is none,” he stated.
In their different reactions, the Secretary, Mr Richard Ndoma and Financial Secretary, Mr Ike Uchechukwu, restated the resolve of the Chapel to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the welfare of members as they work in line with the ethics of the profession.