FMLE, NUJ FCT Correspondents’ Chapel Forge Landmark Partnership to Advance Journalists’ Welfare, Safety and Professional Excellence By Raymond Enoch
A new era of strategic collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents’ Chapel have been re-enforced following high-level discussions aimed at strengthening labour reporting, enhancing journalists’ welfare, promoting professional development and advancing press freedom.
The renewed partnership drive emerged during a courtesy visit by the leadership and members of the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), led by its Chairman, Comrade Felix Ojo, to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Kamil Ayinde Shoretire, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Beyond the ceremonial exchange of courtesies, the meeting evolved into a robust dialogue on how government and the media can work together to improve public understanding of labour and employment issues while addressing the welfare and safety concerns of journalists.
Dr. Shoretire described the media as an indispensable stakeholder in the Ministry’s mandate, reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to building a stronger relationship with journalists through transparency, accessibility and timely dissemination of accurate information.
He stressed that the Ministry’s responsibilities go far beyond resolving industrial disputes, explaining that it formulates labour policies, promotes industrial harmony, ensures workplace compliance with labour laws, enforces international labour conventions ratified by Nigeria, promotes occupational safety and health standards, and provides statutory mechanisms for resolving labour-related complaints.
The Permanent Secretary also urged journalists to uphold the ethics of responsible journalism by verifying information before publication, warning that the proliferation of misinformation on social media continues to undermine public confidence and distort government activities.
According to him, the Ministry remains open and accessible to journalists seeking clarification on issues affecting the world of work.
Earlier, Comrade Felix Ojo said the visit was designed to deepen institutional cooperation between the Ministry and the Chapel while encouraging broader and more balanced coverage of labour issues.
He observed that public attention often focuses only on industrial disputes, leaving many of the Ministry’s programmes, reforms and interventions underreported.
Ojo therefore called for sustained collaboration through capacity-building initiatives, specialised training programmes and welfare-focused interventions that would equip journalists with the knowledge and skills required for quality labour reporting.
He also appealed to the Ministry to support efforts aimed at safeguarding journalists against harassment, intimidation and unlawful arrests while carrying out their constitutional responsibilities.
In a significant intervention during the meeting, the Secretary of the Chapel’s Cooperative and Investment Committee, Mr. Raymond Nyayoti, advocated strategic partnerships that would strengthen the economic wellbeing of journalists.
He appealed to the Ministry to facilitate collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and other relevant government institutions to support the Chapel’s cooperative society through entrepreneurship, capacity-building and sustainable empowerment programmes.
He clarified that the Chapel was not seeking direct financial assistance but institutional partnerships capable of creating long-term economic opportunities for members.
The proposal aligns with growing calls for innovative welfare models that enable journalists to improve their livelihoods beyond traditional newsroom earnings.
Responding positively, Dr. Shoretire assured the delegation that the Ministry would examine the requests within the limits of its statutory responsibilities.
As part of efforts to institutionalise the relationship, he directed the Ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Annah Daniel, to serve as the official liaison with the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, ensuring regular communication, information sharing and coordination of collaborative initiatives.
The outcome of the engagement is widely seen as laying the foundation for a stronger partnership between the media and the Ministry—one that could improve labour reporting, enhance journalists’ professional capacity, strengthen welfare initiatives and promote informed public discourse on employment and workplace issues.
For the Correspondents’ Chapel, the visit represents a strategic step towards building sustainable institutional relationships capable of empowering journalists while reinforcing the media’s critical role in promoting accountability, decent work and national development.
