The immediate past Commissioner for Environment and Petroleum resources in Akwa Ibom State, Rt. Hon Barr Ekong Sampson has charged journalists to explore ways of earning a decent living.
He stated this when members of the newly elected executive of Federated chapel of Nigeria Union of journalists, Akwa Ibom state council paid him a courtesy to his residence in Uyo.
According to him, there are many ways of making money as a journalist without getting involved in unprofessional and unethical.
He recalled his days as a member of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), saying sports is now a big and lucrative business in the world.
Barr Sampson who is also a member of the Federated Chapel congratulated the new executive members for emerging victorious at the polls and charged the new leadership to brace up for the enormous task of providing leadership for members of the chapel.
On the 2023 general elections where he is vying for the Senate seat of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, Barr Ekong Sampson while soliciting the support of his chapel members and by extension the entire NUJ in Akwa Ibom state, maintained that the time has come for journalists to move away from being critics to the center of the event by aspiring for elective positions.
“I will deplore my background for the good of the senatorial district. We need to have people who know Nigeria in the national assembly.
“My last beat as commissioner for Environment and Petroleum resources gives me an edge in the race because we have a serious problem of environmental degradation in the district” he posited.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman of Chapel, Comrade Nsibiet John had informed him of a successful election of the chapel which took place on Friday, 25 February 2022.
He also informed his host of his desire to ensure welfare and training of members as well as broaden and deepen community journalism during his time as chairman of the chapel.
Comrade John who is the publisher of the Ink Portal newspaper also informed his host of a retreat for members of the chapel as well as the upcoming NUJ SWAN games and solicited his support for the chapel.
