Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Niger State Council, has expressed its readiness to interface with relevant government functionaries with the view of exempting state media organisations from the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA.
The State Chairman of NUJ, Comrade Abu Nmodu, stated this when he led other executives on a courtesy visit to the Acting Managing Director of Niger Printing and Publishing Company, Publishers of Newsline, and Tauraruwa, Aisha Abubakar, in her office.
Comrade Abu Nmodu, who said the Union was aware of the numerous challenges facing state-owned media organisations, which included obsolete equipment, inadequate manpower, and TSA, assured that it would stand by them, especially Newsline Newspapers, to enable them to function effectively.
According to him, various challenges should not frustrate the operations of the outfits, assuring that the Union would meet with those concerned to ameliorate the problems.
The State Chairman of NUJ urged the Ag. Managing Director of Newsline Newspapers not to allow the problems facing the organisation to deter her efforts, but rather should be encouraged to ensure timely production of the two newspapers.
Comrade Nmodu then commended her for sustaining the online edition of the paper, saying that the company has produced most of the best hands in print media journalism within and outside the state.
Responding, the acting managing director of Newsline newspapers, Aisha Abubakar, appreciated the NUJ delegation for the visit, saying it would encourage them to work harder for the progress of the organisation.
She attributed the inability of the company to operate maximally, especially the production of hard copies of the paper, to the implementation of TSA and hoped that the union would assist in making the environment conducive to the unhindered production of the newspaper.
Aisha Abubakar informed the NUJ chairman of her readiness to resume production of hard copies of Newsline anytime the impediments were removed.