By Austin Ogwuda
Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ under the leadership of the Comrade Churchill Oyowe organised the first Congress of body this year with a call for the banning of the activities of scavengers popularly known as ‘Iron Condemn’ in the State following the atrocities they perpetrate.
It also called for periodic profiling of residents with a view to fish out criminal elements infiltrating the State with no traceable addresses, among other issues contained in a communique raised at the end of the meeting.
The communique reads:
*That the NUJ, Delta State Council, at the Congress on January 18, after deliberation on the state of the nation expresses concern over the state of insecurity in the country, particularly in Delta State, and frowns at the influx of persons with no known or verifiable addresses into the state, thereby heightening insecurity.
*Calls for periodic profiling of residents, especially those without means of identification, to checkmate crime.
*Calls on security agencies to carry out periodic raid of uncompleted buildings inhabited by miscreants to restore peace and order in the State.
*Calls on the relevant government agencies to carry out oversight on beggars in areas such as Interbau, DBS, Koka Roundabout, all in Asaba and other areas, to restore sanity.
*Calls on the Police and other relevant security agencies to check/regulate the activities of commercial tricycles and motorcycles operators, particularly on the highways in Delta State.
*Calls for the banning of the activities of scavengers, a.k.a “Iron Condemn” in Delta State.
*Calls for the non-involvement of the executive arm of government in the appointment of senior electoral officers of the electoral body (INEC), such as Chairman, Commissioners and REC, and its funding should directly come from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to ensure credible elections in the country and reduce the judicialisation of the electoral process.
*Condemns the police invasion of a live television programme in Abia State and urges sanctions on all those found culpable.
*Lauds the judgment of the Abuja High Court that the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) cannot fine broadcast stations for alleged breach of its code.
*Finally, the congress calls for the decentralization of policing in the country to pave the way for federal, state, metropolitan, and local government police, to ensure the effective security of lives and property.
It was signed by Churchill Oyowe – Chairman, NUJ, Delta Council; Victor Sorokwu – Secretary, NUJ, Delta Council ; Godwin Ijediogor, (Guardian Bureau Chief)- Chairman, Communique Drafting Committee; Ifeanyi Olannye (NAN) Secretary, Communique Drafting Committee and Ifeoma Okafor (NTA)- Member, Communique Drafting Committee.