The Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists has barred its members from covering the activities of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly with immediate effect.
The directive was contained in a communique issued at the end of its Wednesday’s State Congress at its Secretariat.
The communique was signed by the council Chairman, Amos Etuk; Secretary, Dominic Akpan; Chairman and Secretary, Communique Drafting Committee, Iniobong Ekponta and Dianime Uko; and member, Emem Okon.
The council hinged its action on the appointment of a non-journalist, Nkereuwem Udom, as the Press Secretary to the Speaker, Udeme Otong.
According to the communique, the union warned that any member that defaults the congress will face severe sanctions.
It also called on the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency to take immediate action to end the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on Atiku Abubakar Way.
It maintained that the unhealthy act was blocking the drainage and causing flooding in the area.
It further called on the Federal Road Safety Corps and other agencies involved in traffic management in the state to henceforth enforce the law, arrest and prosecute drivers, who drive against traffic.
It contended that the illegal practice always caused road crashes.
The communique further called on the Akwa Ibom State Police Command and other security agencies in the state to step up their surveillance and come up with measures to arrest the increasing cases of cell phone theft in Uyo metropolis.