-Says No Journalist, Publisher Deserves Such Humiliation
The Independent Newspaper Publishers Association (INPA) has condemned the monthly ministerial briefings organised by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Information, describing the ₦10,000 reportedly given to journalists and publishers after hours as humiliation.
In a statement, the association appealed to the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umana, to discontinue the practice, insisting that journalists and publishers deserve better treatment.
The briefings, coordinated monthly by the Commissioner, bring state commissioners before journalists and publishers to present the achievements and activities of Governor Umo Eno’s administration. INPA questioned the rationale behind inviting media practitioners to spend hours covering the sessions only to receive ₦10,000 each at the end, arguing that the amount is grossly inadequate given current economic realities and the cost of news production.
The association further alleged that the state government has been sponsoring various groups operating under the guise of media associations across senatorial districts, claiming that the practice is contributing to what it described as the broader exploitation of journalists in Akwa Ibom.
INPA argued that if the government was not prepared to properly brief journalists and publishers on its activities, it should rely on its media aides to disseminate such information instead. It maintained, however, that inviting media practitioners to briefings only to hand them ₦10,000 each was unacceptable.
The association therefore urged Umana to halt what it described as the “₦10,000 ministerial press conference”, and called on the government, whenever it intends to hold press briefings, to invite the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, to organise them at the NUJ Press Centre.
INPA also appealed to Governor Umo Eno to review the conduct of his media managers, alleging that their actions were indirectly damaging the image of his administration.
“Journalists and publishers are not respected. Giving them ₦10,000 naira after a ministerial press briefing is an insult,” the association stated. INPA maintained that no journalist or publisher deserves such treatment and called for greater respect for media practitioners across the state.
