Anambra NUJ Regrets Poor Condition of Roads; Sues for Rehabilitation

 By NWEKE NWEKE (AWKA)
The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Anambra State Council said its members have felt deeply apprehensive over the poor conditions of the roads in the state, especially urban roads even as the Union emphasized seriously the hardship encountered by both transporters and commuters, who had had to waste valuable man-hours on the roads.

In a communique raised after this month State Congress of NUJ, duly signed by Comrades  Francis Ekopne and Emmanuel Udeagha, Acting Chairman and Secretary of the Union respectively, the Union called on the State government to rehabilitate these roads to save the people from avoidable dangers.   

Bemoaning the unfortunate gridlock along Amawbia roundabout/Correctional Service Amawbia, NUJ said they have observed that said gridlock is occasioned as a result of the closure of the thoroughfare, on the old road,  along  Ziks Avenue, especially the State Police Command Headquarters and enjoined the Police Command to remove the barricade at Amawbia roundabout through the Police Headquarters to ease the flow of traffic in the area.

Calling on the Federal Road Safety Corps  (FRSC), Anambra State Command to brace up to the task of traffic control across the state, NUJ urged the road marshalls to help check the now common gridlock in major roads in the State as well as the attendant indiscipline and mindless attitude of some drivers, charging the State government and other relevant agencies to urgently install speed breakers at the supposed to areas to enable articulated vehicles to slow down before getting to such areas such as Ezeuzu junction Agu Awka, this the Union said would help in no small measure to check constant road accidents on the road.

Commending security agencies in the State for their efforts to check criminal activities, the Congress equally urged them to help check certain untoward activities of their men especially at Bridgehead Onitsha and other areas, which were often counterproductive as well as impede the free flow of traffic.

On the menace of refuse in some parts of the State, particularly at Book Foundation junction, Ifite Awka, Miracle junction, Goodwill junction road Okpuno, Unizik junction road, and Amawbia-Agulu-Nanka road among others, men of the pen and paper profession called on the Commissioner of Environment and the Anambra  State Waste Management Agency, ASWAMA, to ensure that all refuse dumps around the State are evacuated to avoid a possible outbreak of diseases in the State.

Speaking on the ongoing  Continuous Voters Registration in the State the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, NUJ Anambra State Council, however, appealed to members of the public who are of voting age to register and obtain their voter’s card to be eligible to vote on the day of the election.

The Congress unanimously commended the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, NAU, Awka, and the Department of Mass Communication of the University for reintroducing the Professional Diploma in Journalism Programme, PDJ, of the University and urged Journalists without a background in Journalism to take advantage of the program to update themselves.

On the activities of the fake In the midst of the professionals, NUJ Congress expressed displeasure at the menace of fake Journalists in the State and resolved to engage with the State Police Command to fight the incidence and warned that any Journalist(s) found aiding and abetting the crime will be sanctioned.