Kano NUJ Suspends Boycott Of Government Activities, Cites Public Interest As Reason

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Kano State Correspondents Chapel has suspended its earlier decision to shun all activities relating to the kano Government and its officials.

It will be recalled that the body had on June 3, 2024, at an emergency Congress voted to boycott all Kano State Government activities citing alleged intimidation, harassment, outright physical  assault of its members in the State, as well as a general unconducive working environment as reasons.

But in a statement issued at the end of a Congress meeting on Sunday June 16 ,the Chairman of the Kano State Correspondents, Aminu Ahmed Garko, said the pressing need to keep the public informed about  the situation in Kano necessitated  the lifting of the boycott.

According to him, the continued observation of the boycott will negatively impact on the responsibility of the Journalists to the reading public.

“The Chapel has, however, come to realize that the boycott has had unintended consequences on its members actions particularly during this time of crisis in Kano.

“As Journalists our constitutional mandate is to inform the public and hold those in power accountable ,..But our boycott has limited our ability to fulfill that role and we have come to realize that it is the public that is suffering the most from our absence .

“We are aware that our boycott has created a vacuum in the reporting of Government activities,and we do not want our absence to be exploited by those who peddle fake news to misinform the public.

“After a careful consideration, we have decided to call off the boycott and resume our reportage of Government  activities. We believe that our presence at Government events and activities is crucial in ensuring that the public is well Informed .

“We want to assure the public that we will continue to hold Government accountable for its actions,but will do so in a manner that will not harm  the public interest.

“We appreciate the support and understanding of the public during this period and promise to rededicate ourselves to our constitutional mandate of informing and educating the public.

“We also hope that our decision to call off the boycott will be seen as a positive step towards resolving the issues that led to the development. in the first place .

“We look forward to working with the Government to address the issues that affect our members and the journalism profession as a whole,” the statement reads.