The Nigerian Guild of Editors says it plans to offer scholarships to children in Internally Displaced Persons camps in the country.
The President of the NGE, Funke Egbemode, disclosed this on Thursday at the opening of the 13th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference and Extraordinary Convention holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Egbomode said the gesture was part of the Guild’s Corporate Social Responsibility.
The theme of the convention is: “Nigerian Media: Balancing Professionalism Advocacy and Business.”
Egbemode said aside the scholarship, the Guild would also provide other humanitarian services to improve the living condition of children in the IDPs camps.
According to her, the Guild will establish Editors’ Farm Estates in some states and Editors’ Estate in Abuja as part of its corporate social responsibility to the society.
She said: “We cannot continue to expect that even our most loyal friends will not move away if we lean on them more heavily than we already do.
“We need to start carrying more costs for our events, especially ANEC, as things are tough and our industry is perhaps the worst hit.”
Egbemode said members of the guild would henceforth pay annual dues of N20,000 and Conference fees of N30,000.
She said the fees would enable the Guild to raise funds needed to drive its corporate social responsibility and fund conferences in the country.
The President of the National Association of Women Journalists, Ifeyinwa Omowole, said journalists were among the least paid workers in the country.
Omowole said most media houses owed their reporters and editors salaries and allowances that spanned several months.
She said: “This has often times encouraged gratification and unprofessional conduct among journalists practising in the country.
“The National Assembly should take urgent steps to address media remuneration considering the role journalists play in the development of the country.
“The media is the watchdog of the society and, as such, should be treated fairly.”
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