FG urged to revisit media salary structure to honour Akunyili

Prof Dora Akunyili at 53

Late Dora Akunyili

Late Dora Akunyili
Late Dora Akunyili

The Radio, Television and Theater Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) has appealed to the Federal Government to revisit the Media Salary Structure as a mark of honour for late Prof. Dora Akunyili.

President of RATTAWU, Comrade Yemisi Bamgbose, made the appeal on Thursday in an interview with NAN in Agulu, Anambra state.

Bamgbose was at Agulu with a RATTAWU delegation for the burial of Akunyili, a former Information Minister, who initiated the idea of a media salary structure.

He said that though Akunyili was not a journalist, her commitment to improved remuneration and other welfare packages for media workers in Nigeria was heroic.

“She was a minister of information that cared about the welfare of journalists in Nigeria; she was one of the best ministers of information ever produced by Nigeria despite her background and qualification.

“Her demise is even pushing us to renew her struggle, which is for government to approve a special remuneration package for journalists in Nigeria.

“RATTAWU and NUJ will not allow the struggle for the media salary scale to go with her; we are in fact, calling on government to revisit the issue to at least, honour this great Nigerian woman,” he said.

Bamgbose said that RATTAWU had sent a letter to the appropriate authorities, reminding them of the need to restart the process of implementing the special salary for media workers.

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“The union has shown much understanding with government over the matter; it is time for government to reciprocate our good will.

“We would have embarked on strike but for the recent challenges confronting the nation; we did not want to be seen as enemies of our nation.

“That was why we suspended the idea but now we want to start proceedings to ensure that we achieve the goal of the media salary structure, the struggle of which Dora started,” he stressed.

Bamgbose decried the remuneration discrepancy that existed among workers in the nation’s “so called” critical sectors, decrying that media workers in public establishments were yet to be treated fairly.

“Other professionals are placed on special salary structures. For instance, those in education, health and other sectors enjoy special attention.

“Unfortunately, media workers are still left on the civil service structure which is not commensurate with the kind of work they do or hazards they are exposed to.

“Though Dora is gone, we hope to continue with her struggle; for now, we call on the government to revisit the issue to at least, immortalise her,” he said.

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