NUJ renews calls for completion of Gombe Press Centre
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has renewed its call on Gov Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State to complete its Press Centre in the state.
Former National Secretary of the NUJ, Comrade Shuaibu Usman Leman who made the call in Gombe on Monday said the presence of such facility would help journalists practising in the state.
Leman made the call shortly after an inspection tour of projects in the state as part of activities to commemorate the Gombe State NUJ Council Press Week.
He said that the facility would complete other development strides being recorded in the state.
According to him, with Gombe State’s growing status as an emerging mega state, it ought to have a Press Centre to ensure the comfort of journalists towards effectively carrying out their responsibility in the state.
“The other most important thing I would say is the NUJ Press Centre. Gombe will be 30 years next year without an NUJ Press Centre.
“As NUJ national secretary, I have visited every state in Nigeria and Gombe State is one of the three states without such facility.
“I hope that my visit here today will be a sign of good hopes for journalists in Gombe State.
“The governor should move in fast; it is not enough for us to commend him for all the facilities we have seen but journalists do not have a press centre to fall back in.
“Ideally after this inspection we should go back to the press centre and socialise and relax but unfortunately we don’t have.
“I hope Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State will be listening to us and I believe he will do something about that,” he said.
Speaking on the inspected projects, Leman said Gombe State is rapidly becoming a Mega state in view of the facilities and infrastructure being provided in the state.
He particularly commended the effort of Yahaya for initiating and providing five mega schools with good facilities to accommodate more school children, stressing that such move remained key towards addressing the challenge of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria.
He further lauded the progress in reclaiming degraded land in Gombe State through the implementation of ACReSAL Projects in the state.
Leman urged journalists in the state not to renege on their responsibility of holding government accountable to the people.
He, however, cautioned journalists against becoming an opposition to the government, stressing that, journalists’ jobs were not by “being adversarial to the government that we will be doing our jobs; if they (government) do well, commend them and encourage them to do more.”
Also speaking, the NUJ Zonal Vice President for Zone E, Comrade Zare Baba, applauded Yahaya’s administration for maintaining constructive engagement with the media, stressing that such collaboration would enhance transparency while reinforcing public trust.
Mr Faruq Muazu, the Chairman of the NUJ Gombe State Council commended journalists in the state for their professionalism and positive impacts towards the development of the state.
Muazu reaffirmed the union’s resolve to sustain advocacy efforts for the completion of the NUJ Press Centre.
The 2025 Press Week continues on Tuesday with the official opening ceremony and a public lecture, followed by environmental and medical outreach activities later in the week.
