Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nasarawa state chapter on Friday registered a new chapel called Progressive Chapel.

Mr Dogo Shammah, Chairman of the state NUJ, inaugurated and administered the oath of membership to members of the new chapel in Lafia.

He said the new chapel has met all the requirements stipulated in the NUJ constitution on registration of a new chapel.

Shammah added that the NUJ National Secretariat was also consulted before the approval was given to the new chapel to avoid controversy.

“When I received your letter, I made consultations with the national secretariat and we also discovered at the state level that you fulfilled all the requirements stipulated in the NUJ constitution.

“Even at that I still sought permission from the national secretariat to register this chapel. This morning, I spoke to the national secretary and he said the registration can go ahead.

“Your coming on board is hinged on Article 5, section G, subsection 1, 2 that gives the power to practicing journalists to affiliate and form a chapel. That is why we approve your inauguration,” he said.

He then called on journalists in the state to be objective and balanced in their reportage and also urged the leadership of the new chapel not to register quacks.

“I want the leadership of the chapel to look out for the interest of members,” he said.

Members of the new chapel include: Donatus Nadi of the Nation Newspaper, Linus Oota of the Sun Newspaper, Alhaji Mohammed Baba-Busu of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and Miss Esther Aka of the Voice Newspaper.

Others are Malam Ibrahim Hamza of Daily Trust Newspaper, Mr Danjuma Joseph of Leadership Newspaper, Mr Igbawase Ukumba of ThisDay newspaper and Mr David Odama of Vanguard newspaper.

A caretaker committee was inaugurated to handle the affairs of the new chapel pending the election of a substantive exco.

The caretaker exco have Nadi as Chairman, Hamza as Vice Chairman, Oota as Secretary, Aka as Treasurer and John as Financial Secretary.

Nadi expressed gratitude to the state exco for finding them worthy to start their own chapel and assured that members of the chapel would uphold the ethics of the profession.

“You have demonstrated courage to do what is uncommon in giving people a lease of life, to unite, to be together, people of like minds to practice in one state.

“On behalf of myself and other members of this chapel, 100 per cent, we are out for developmental journalism.

“I am sure at the end of the day that you will be very proud that within your time, you inaugurated this chapel,” he said. (NAN)