The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has issued a passionate appeal to the FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, urging him to urgently intervene in the deteriorating condition of its Secretariat located in Utako, Abuja.
The call came as a major resolution during the Council’s second Congress, held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, where members decried the current state of the facility, describing it as unsuitable for a professional body serving the nation’s capital.
Delegates at the meeting appealed to Minister Wike—widely referred to as Mr. Project due to his signature infrastructural initiatives across the FCT—to channel similar attention towards the NUJ FCT Secretariat. They stressed that the premises, which currently host all Congress activities, have suffered prolonged neglect.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the Congress and signed by the Chairman of the Communiqué Committee, Odigie Ehidiamen Kelvin, alongside members Kehinde Ayanfe and Ebriku John, the union also called on the Minister to revive the long-stalled NUJ Pentagon project. The proposed structure is envisioned to be a landmark edifice dedicated to press freedom and journalistic excellence in Abuja.
“The current state of our Secretariat is appalling,” the Congress stated. “We are earnestly appealing to the Honourable Minister to undertake a facility tour and witness the infrastructural decay first-hand. With his leadership and commitment to development, we are confident the Secretariat and Pentagon project can be transformed into a legacy of pride.”
Beyond internal infrastructure, the NUJ FCT Congress used the platform to spotlight broader societal challenges plaguing residents of the capital.
Top on the list was the worsening electricity supply across the FCT,h which the union blamed on inefficiencies within the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC). Members warned that the persistent outages are strangling productivity and diminishing the quality of life for residents.
The Council also raised concern over the soaring cost of telecommunications and internet data, calling it a “crippling burden” on the average Nigerian. It urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to probe telecom operators’ billing practices and introduce urgent reforms to protect consumers.
Another critical issue raised was the alarming rise in maternal mortality. Linking the trend to harsh economic realities and inflation, the Council demanded immediate government intervention through the provision of free maternal healthcare services, including prenatal, antenatal, and postnatal care.
Reaffirming its role as a voice for both media professionals and the public, the NUJ FCT Council pledged to intensify advocacy efforts and sustained engagement with authorities to seek meaningful solutions to these pressing concerns.
