Bishop Ezeokafor Calls for Better Welfare Packages for Journalists ...Says Media Job Is A Risky Profession

The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Paulinus Ezeokafor has called on the government at all levels as well as private sectors to protect journalists across the 36 States of the federation and as well offer them better welfare packages noting that media job is most risky profession.

Bishop Ezeokafor who stated this at St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral, Awka while fielding questions from newsmen said 'Every job is risky but the media is more risky profession. The practitioners should be well remunerated.

'Besides, monthly pay is a right to a worker not a privilege. And it is clear that God endowed our country with huge natural and human resources enough for basic sustenance of all us.

'The media and society

The media play crucial roles in our society. Themedia practitioners must understand the key they hold in life. It is a calling that must be answered or practised without fear or favour.
Therefore, I am urging you to remain focus and uphold the ethics of your profession. 'Continue to inform, educate and entertain the world with rightful information.

'You hold the key to information. People might react positively or negatively. But do not be intimidated to shy away from presenting the facts and figures.

God is always with you.
Truth is bitter. Joy and sorrow might come when answering your callings.

Do not be compromised. Remember that the way and manner in which you answered your callings would speak for you at eternity.

Do not fear to expose crime without compromise when the need arises,' he said.

Speaking on insurance and proper welfare package for the media practitioners, Bishop Ezeokafor said there should be insurance for everybody.

'Everyone’s life is in danger. It would be nice if the government consider it necessary to insure the lives of the pressmen.

'The National Insurance Scheme and the relevant agencies should take note.

'Every job is risky but the media is more risky profession. The practitioners should be well
remunerated. Besides, monthly pay is a right to a worker not a privilege. And it is clear that God
endowed our country with huge natural and human resources enough for basic sustenance of all us.

'I pray the incoming administration will look into
this and rather re-channel the outrageous expenses accruing to our lawmakers for the betterment of the masses, especially those at the grassroots,' Bishop Ezeokafor prayed

Speaking on the family,  Bishop Ezeokafor stated that 'Family is the basic of whatever society can
offer. The Church sees the family as a domestic Church. It is where the church and society at large gather its products. Healthy and
peaceful family is healthy world. When families maintain healthy communication and relationship among themselves, the values
would be injected into the larger society.

'When we talk of family, the whole world is involves because family make up the village, town, State, and so on.

'The responsibility of parents to ensuring healthy family Parents have the key to a better society. It is their responsibility to train and nurture their children in godly ways. This transcends into
inculcating morality into the larger society.

'However, it is noticeable that in our modern day society, parents are so much occupied with
works most times, and neglect their family upkeep which ought to be their outmost precedence.

'Some find it difficult to sit and
discuss with their children for once. For instance, in the morning, the children go to
school with food, returns at night, and rest to bed…

'They have shifted the responsibility to housekeepers and schools.

'This makes them to be foreigners to the children. It is not advisable for parents to act as foreigners to their children.

That is very disastrous and poses lots of challenges to our society. Parents must maintain good relationship with their children often. Let me reminds them that without a family, the world will come to an end.

'They should strive to inculcate basic norms and moral values into their children copiously.

'We are all from a family.
That is where we are being taught the norms and values of life. So the topic is very imortant,' he stated

By Abuchi Onwumelu

www.hotmaureen.com