The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom council, has barred its members from covering the activities of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly with immediate effect.

The directive is contained in a communique issued at the end of its congress in Uyo on Wednesday.

The communique was signed by council chairman Amos Etuk, secretary Dominic Akpan, the communique drafting committee chairman and secretary Iniobong Ekponta and Dianime Uko, and member Emem Okon.

The NUJ is boycotting the coverage of the parliament’s proceedings because the Akwa Ibom speaker Udeme Otong appointed a ‘non-journalist’ Nkereuwem Udom as the press secretary. 

According to the communique, the union warned that any member that defaults would face severe sanctions.

It also called on the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency to take immediate action to end the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the Atiku Abubakar Way to avoid potential flooding.

The NUJ urged the Federal Road Safety Corps and other agencies involved in traffic management in Akwa Ibom to enforce the law, arrest and prosecute traffic offenders.

The communique asked the police and other security agencies to step up their surveillance and develop measures to tackle rising phone theft cases in the Uyo metropolis. 

(NAN)