The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, have called on the Minister of the FCT, Hon. Nyesom Wike, to assist in fixing the dilapidated state of infrastructure at the council secretariat situated in Utako, Abuja.

The appeal formed a major resolution at the second congress of the Ms Grace Ike-led NUJ FCT Council, held at the weekend in Abuja.

Lamenting the poor condition of the facility currently used for congresses, they described it as unfit for a professional body of journalists operating within the nation’s capital.

The media practitioners called on the minister, fondly referred to as Mr Project for his visible development strides across the FCT, to extend similar attention to the NUJ FCT Council Secretariat.

They also appealed to him to come to its aid in the completion of the long-delayed NUJ Pentagon, a building envisioned to serve as a landmark edifice for journalists in Abuja.

“We are earnestly appealing to the honourable minister to undertake a facility tour and see for himself the infrastructural decay we contend with,” they noted.

“We believe that under his leadership, the secretariat and Pentagon project can finally be transformed into a lasting legacy,” the NUJ said.

The NUJ used the platform to draw attention to broader socio-economic issues confronting residents of the capital and Nigerians at large.

The council decried the persistent power outages across the FCT, attributing the problem to the inefficiencies of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC). It warned that the poor electricity supply was stifling productivity and negatively impacting quality of life.

Lamenting the rising cost of telecommunications and internet data, they described it as a heavy financial burden on citizens.

They thereby urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to investigate billing practices and introduce measures that ensure affordability and consumer protection.

The congress also expressed grave concern over the increasing rate of maternal mortality linked to worsening economic conditions and inflation, just as they called on the Federal Government to provide free maternal healthcare services, including pre-natal, ante-natal, and post-natal care, to alleviate the burden on expectant mothers and reduce preventable deaths.