By Kelvin Obambon
The Cross River State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on the state government and relevant education authorities to take urgent action regarding the deteriorating infrastructure and conditions across public schools in the state, suggesting the declaration of a state of emergency in severely impacted institutions.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the union’s congress, held on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre in Calabar.
Deliberating on matters affecting media practice, journalists’ welfare, and state development, the Union expressed grave concern over the state of some learning facilities, especially public secondary schools.
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“The Congress expressed concern over the deplorable condition of some public schools across the State and called on the relevant agencies responsible for the education sector to urgently address the situation, including consideration of a state of emergency in severely affected schools, to bring them up to modern educational standards,” the communiqué stated.
In addition to educational infrastructure, the state council of NUJ raised concerns regarding urban infrastructure within the state capital. The union pointed to the deteriorating road networks across Calabar metropolis and appealed to the state government for prompt intervention to “rehabilitate the affected roads to improve accessibility and ease the movement of motorists and residents.”
Addressing environmental sanitation, the union cautioned residents against improper waste disposal and urged the public to support government efforts in maintaining civic cleanliness.
“Congress calls on residents to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse in unauthorised locations and take greater responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean, with a view to restoring and sustaining the clean and green status of Calabar and its environs.”
The NUJ commended the intervention by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, and Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, following the distribution of relief funds to victims of the August 22 fire at the SPAR Shopping Mall in Calabar. The Congress acknowledged the “release of cheques of Twenty-Five Million Naira (N25,000,000) each to the 18 business and shop owners affected” by the inferno.
The union further lauded the state government for providing financial and logistical backing to delegates who attended the recent 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Enugu State.
