Media Salary Structure: Whether Industrial Action could solve the problem of Journalism in Nigeria

In Nigeria today, the penurious state of the members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm who play the watchdog role to every sitting government is so glaring that most Journalists are considering throwing in the towel as a last resort. This is because the indispensable impact of the Media is immensely felt but scarcely recognized by both Federal and State Governents.

To this end, the Nigeria Union of Journalists have implored the Federal Governent of Nigeria to see the immense contributions of the Media in spite of their obvious challenges especially during the extant COVID-19 and on wards as a Golden opportunity to institute and enact the special Media Salary Structure as an encouragement for the members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm in the discharge of their duties.  In this exclusive interview with Famous Reporters, Chief sir Innocent Igwe the National Trustee of NUJ, South East, Zone C, and the immediate past Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, IMO state chapter pointed out that leaving the Media to work without “any good financial recognition in terms of welfare is regrettable and unfair.” The Deputy Director, Imo Broadcasting Corporation, News and Current Affairs who lamented that the Media had been marginalised and pauperized by the Nigerian government at various levels, pleaded with the Federal Governent to consider the Media Salary Structure for implementation, saying that other existing groups of professionals in the country
have their own salary structure.

Excerpts:

Ques:

Ques: Sir, for a long time now, we have been hearing about the Media salary structure. What can you say about it?

Now, as for the issue of the welfare of Journalists, we have been so dehumanized and marginalised, traumatised and even pauperized by the situation. We don’t get what is due to us despite our huge contributions to the society but I think the new leadership of NUJ is taking up the matter to the Federal Governent. And if you ask me, I will say this is now the time to ensure that the Media salary structure that has been in the packaging should implemented.
The Media Salary Structure has been in the packaging for more than fifteen years. It has been tossed around for one reason or the other and has not been implemented and I think this is the right time to do it because almost all groups of professionals have special salary structure peculiar to them. Is it the Judiciary, is it the Medical professionals, is it the lawyers, Accountants and other professions? Almost everybody including those in the Universities, and polytechnics and Colleges of Education have their special Salary Structure, yet the Media that is widely recognized, that is making huge contributions seems not to be recognized or even found due for a Salary Structure.

OK when we talk about this covid -19 issue who are those in the frontline? You talk about the health workers, you talk about the journalist you talk about the security agencies. The security people get their dues or get their own special allowances whether you  call it security votes or whatever source they get something to take care of their own houses. Now, in the health sector, the hazard allowance for COVID-19 frontline is #25,000 a day, this is excluding the basic #5000 hazard allowances that the put into their salary on monthly basis. Those in the front line are now earning #25000 a day according to the Presidential Tax Force, (PTF) of COVID-19. So, what have they given to the media? As we talk, there is still nothing and nothing for the media as a salary structure.

Well, people can say that that some people or some few Reporters may be given what we call ‘brown envelope’, PR or whatever how much is in the brown envelope, that one is PR is not a hazard allowance we are talking about something that will be consolidated everybody will know is for them.

Some other reasons might be that some Media are in the Private sector who do not have the capacity to pay. But, the issue is this, let the law be in place first, let the ACT be in place first and it is now the duty of the stakeholders to work out how to implement and pay to the media. So, with this I would specially request or state that the best time to commence the payment, the enactment and institutionalization of the media salary structure is now, even if the money may not be there but let it be on record that the media deserves a special Salary Structure and from there the next step would be taken. So, nobody is happy that the Media is not appreciated and yet so much is expected from the media because it is only the Media that is charged in the constitution to hold government accountable to the people. In section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, the Media is  mandated to hold government accountable to the people. Do you do that without any financial musles, welfare, Insurance and all that? For now, there is none and that is why we find some compromises in one way or the other even though we are not authenticating it, we are not approving it, we are not saying is the right thing to do but some might cut corners to make earns meet but then at the end of the day the objectives of Journalism is jeopardized, the interest for which Journalism to serve the society is adversely affected and everybody will be affected. But, when you take good care of the Media particularly in the aspect of welfare, I think the wrongs will start being righted things from there, so let the government see the challenges and the contribution of the Media during this covid 19 and on wards as a golden opportunity to institute and enact the special Media Salary Structure as an encouragement because all groups of professionals have their own salary structure except the media and it if unfair to  continue allow the media work without any good rrecognition financial and in terms of welfare.

Ques: So, sir, don’t you, as a person think an industrial action by the members of the press could bring the government back to their toes as regards considering the welfare of Media practitioners?


Resp: it would have been logical to say, ok, since you don’t want to recognize us and take care of our welfare and well being, insurance and all that, we should go on a strike, black out the whole country.  That would have been a logical thing to do but the Press remains the conscience of the society. We may not truly sacrifice that altar of professional calling just because we want money and welfare but I am not speaking for everybody. I know the National leadership of NUJ, under Deacon Chris Isinguzo is  seriously working on this issue of welfare. Right now, I will leave the matter to the National leadership which I’m part of, so I wouldn’t want us to have different views on the matter. I am part of the national executive council of NUJ by virture of my position and we are already talking on it at the National at the right time, the president would issue a specific directive on this but like I said, as a Journalist who is already conscious of the inadequacy of the society, because it’s only the Journalist that can tie all the ends; it is only the Journalists and the Media that can link up the East from the West, North and South, and can coordinate all the other professionals and their activities and present them to the Nigerian people and it will make sense. So, if we now decide to abandon all these because we just want our welfare, it may not be properly understood but I think time may call for that. But, for now I will suggest that we exhaust all other mechanisms of getting the right thing done, including addressing our welfare which is the poorest among all other professionals in the country and if you like in any other part of the world. But, I know our our leadership, the national leadership is doing something about these and at the right time  which may not be long from now they will issue a specific and clear statement on these and it is only then we can now say proceed on a strike or these or that, so that is the situation for now but until then we still maintain status quo.  we still continue to serve the society we still hold government accountable, we still render the services even when some of the Media houses are owed months of salaries, some are even owing outstanding years of salaries yet the Journalist are working because of the love and passion and because of that critical role of holding the society in touch and in check, because like the former American President, Thomas Jefferson once said, “if I were to choose between Government and the Media, I’ll choose the Media, because it’s only Media that can hold Government accountable; it’s only the Media that can be fair to everybody; it is only the Media that believes in true Democracy; only the Media can  looks anybody in their faces and tell them the truth of the matter. That is  power of the media and that is why sometimes the media finds it difficult to reduce itself to pecuniary professionals. We’re not just working just for the sake of money, we are working for the sake of many things and the welfare is part of it, but it is then the duty of those in charge to make sure the media is well taken care of particularly in Nigeria so that is the issue at hand. So, with that passion it may be difficult for the media to just logical go on strike like all other professional groups, occupational groups, Unions and all that because we have more than a stake than others

Ques: Alright, sir, with regard to the poor treatments meted out to the press, please, what message do you have for some members of the press who are perhaps at the verge of throwing in the towel?

I simply want to say again that the media is a calling; Journalism is a calling; it is a profession that is for the fair minded not cheaply hearted; it is for those who want to see that the wrongs in the society are righted; it’s for those who believe in fairness to everybody irrespective of whose horse is gone; it’s for those who will practice moralism, who take all the risk to make sure that the wrongs in the society are exposed. So, I want to tell my colleagues who are still there not to give up because there is always a silver linen in the sky; the darkest part of the night is the closet to the  morning because I have that feelings that before long, the  Journalism profession and the welfare for which we have fought for over the years will soon come to reality and so the Media Salary Structure that has been elusive for many years will soon be done to the professionals who has put in everything.

Ques: So, sir, do you imply that quiting should not be the last resort of any Journalist?

Resp. No, it is not the right thing to quit! If you are a true Journalist, if you are a professional Journalist, if you  are trained to do the work of a journalist, then keep doing your best because if you have the passion you will enjoy the job, you will only manage to survive you may not be wealthy like others but you will still be very OK in terms of welfare, because if you are a good Journalist, people will know you are a good journalist, there are things that come to you by virtue of your professional capacity as a good journalist.
So, let them not throw in the trowel let us keep the flag flying despite the poor condition of the service and let us also work together. That is another factor militating against the realisation of the Media services. Let all the stakeholders in the Media Industry work together, let them align with NUJ which is the hub of all Media practitioners any where in the world including Nigeria; let all the stakeholders align with NUJ, come on one page and let us pursue this welfare issue collectively and I’m sure we will get it, probably that’s what they are waiting for, that is what the authorities are waiting for to see a united, formidable house because there is nothing the Media as a group, the Journalist or Media as an Industry set out to achieve that they will fail because of the enormous group, enormous powers that we have, the contact, and the numerous capacity that we put together on that, there is nothing we can not achieve. So, I’m assured that when we do, we will surely achieve whatever, including welfare.