By Ralph Madugu
Members of the Plateau State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, have added their voice in condemning the recent terror attack on an Abuja-Kaduna bound train and called on the Federal Government to carry out a proper assessment of the situation and provide the needed security and assistance to victims.
The members of the pen profession also frowned at the unabated attacks on communities in Bassa LGA of Plateau State which have left many dead.
Rising from its congress meeting held at the NUJ Secretariat in Jos, the NUJ members called on the state and federal governments to put in place measures that would bring lasting solution to the protracted crises in that area.
In an 11-point communique issued at the end of the congress, men of the pen profession said they also observed the resurgence of the petty crimes perpetrated by tricycle and unregistered taxi drivers in the state capital where commuters are dispossessed of their belongings and sometimes forcefully pushed out of moving tricycles for refusing to hand over their belongings.
The Union called on citizens to be conscious of the activities of miscreants and take measures to ensure their safety while plying these routes.
The congress noted that these crimes may be related to joblessness and the high rate of poverty and therefore, called on the state and federal governments to provide jobs for the youth or organize skills acquisition programmes that for them.
While calling on citizens to maintain good hygiene practices, the NUJ members advised the people to keep the environment and drainages clean during the rainy season drainages within the metropolis were currently filled with dirt.
On the cutting off of water supply in some parts of the state owing to the ongoing construction of the British-America junction flyover, the Congress urged the state government to look for ways to reduce the sufferings of the people in the affected areas.
Congress also raised alarm on the return of the illegal “Sunday Market” within the Terminus area and advised the government to take urgent steps to nib it in the bud.
It also expressed sadness over the increasing rape cases in the state and called on security agencies to rise up to their responsibilities so as to mitigate the negative social effects on victims’ families and the community.
It further called on the state government to check the activities of artisanal miners in the state and assist them with modern equipment as well organize them in a manner that will contribute to the state internally generated revenue and reduce the rising cases of deaths due to mining site collapse.