PORT HARCOURT, Rivers State – July 8, 2025 – In a significant move to sanitize the journalism profession and curb the proliferation of unqualified practitioners, the Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by Chairman Comrade Paul Bazia, officially flagged off its membership revalidation exercise on Monday. The initiative is a direct response to a directive from the NUJ National Secretariat, aimed at enhancing professionalism and accountability within the media landscape.
Speaking at the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Comrade Bazia emphasized that the comprehensive revalidation process is critical for “checking the activities of quacks in the Journalism Profession.” He disclosed that the National Secretariat has already launched a dedicated website for registration, instructing all State Councils to revalidate members across their various chapels.
“Before then, we had earlier set up a committee for that purpose,” Comrade Bazia stated. “At the end of this exercise, we are expected to forward the data of revalidated members to the National Secretariat, for onward production of their identity cards.”
The Chairman further stressed that once the revalidation exercise concludes, the already established Taskforce on Quackery will “swing into action by clamping down on impersonators, with a view to prosecuting them.” This firm stance underscores the Union’s commitment to enforcing professional standards.
Comrade Bazia reiterated the minimum qualification requirements for journalists as stipulated by the NUJ Constitution: a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), or Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mass Communication or Journalism. For those with first degrees in other disciplines, a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in a relevant field is a mandatory prerequisite for practicing as a journalist.
He confirmed that the National Secretariat’s registration website is now operational, awaiting the collated lists of revalidated members from all 36 State Councils nationwide, including the Federal Capital Territory.
The Chairman formally declared the revalidation exercise open, urging all bona fide journalists to ensure their active participation. He highlighted that the outcome of this exercise will form a vital “compendium for Journalists practice in Rivers State.”
The flag-off ceremony was symbolically marked by Comrade Paul Bazia personally undergoing his own revalidation, with the Revalidation Committee, led by Comrade Godpower Lekia Anya, on hand to efficiently conduct the process. This pivotal exercise is set to redefine the landscape of journalism in Rivers State, ensuring that only qualified and ethical professionals practice within the Union’s fold.
