The Young Citizens of Nigeria (YCN) has asked Imo State government to
reexamine the basis for the indefinite suspension of journalist, Vivian
Ottih.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of
Media and Publicity, Augustine Nwaobi which was signed by Chairman,
Comrade Ekene Okonkwo.
In the statement, YCN advised the administration of Governor Hope
Odidika Uzodinma to thread cautiously on issues of public importance,
adding that the suspension of the chairperson of Nigeria Association of
Women Journalists (NAWOJ) over the request for the payment of three
months salary is totally bad for the image of the State.
Recall that the government of Imo had suspended Mrs Ottih indefinitely
for using Facebook to pass on the request for her salary, after an
official report claimed that her action was an “embarrassment” to the
government.
But YCN insisted that one of the characteristics of a progressive
government is the ability to respond positively to issues affecting
citizen’s welfare, stressing that no well meaning administration will
hurt a citizen for demanding salary for work done.
The statement reads: “Let’s begin by saying that what is good for the
goose is good for the gander. We consider it rather antithetical for the
government of Uzodinma that had enjoyed massive media support to
clampdown on a senior editor of commendable records.
“An adage has it that you think of water when the well is empty. Imo
governor should know that his decision to stop the work of NAWOJ
chairperson is an attack on every journalist in the State, by extention,
it’s a confrontation loaded against the entire media industry, probably
aimed at silencing members of the fourth estate of the realm.
“We therefore call on the governor to address the issue raised amicably
in a way that will foster the delivery of free press. He should know
that a matter that affects a journalist anywhere in the world is of
global concern, hence the need to manage it with wisdom, and not the
recalcitrant haste that greeted the Ottih request.
Advising further the statement urged the Imo number one citizen to
embrace the challenge with a positive attitude, adding that it’s
counterproductive for a leader to exercise power without caution on
matters of workers welfare.
“Before the issue begins generating negative reactions worldwide, we
urge Imo governor to do the needful by cancelling the indefinite
suspension previously declared on Vivian Ottih. The governor should
understand that as a senior editor, the chairperson was instinctively
mandated to speak for NAWOJ and shouldn’t be punished for being a good
leader.
“A worker deserves wages; for a productive staff what is expected is
promotion and recommendations. Mr Governor, tell workers when their
salary would be paid. Go further to recommend Ottih for big career
assignment so that other members of staff can be motivated to give their
best in any capacity for the general good of the State.”