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The Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has urged the Ondo State Government to immediately settle the four-month arrears of the new minimum wage owed to workers of Owena Press Limited, publishers of The Hope newspaper.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Union’s monthly congress held at the NUJ Press Centre, Akure, and presided over by the State Chairman, Prince Leke Adegbite.

According to the communiqué, the arrears covering November 2024 to February 2025 had already been approved by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, but are yet to be paid. The Union specifically appealed to the State Accountant General to ensure the prompt release of the outstanding wages to relieve the financial burden on affected workers.

Beyond wage concerns, the NUJ Congress also expressed dissatisfaction with the current structure of Owena Press, saying it has hindered staff from enjoying a fulfilled career. The Union appealed to the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Idowu Ajanaku, to liaise with relevant stakeholders, especially labour unions and the Ministry of Justice, to speed up the long-awaited restructuring and mainstreaming of Owena Press into a corporation.

The Congress noted that such restructuring would not only improve the welfare of journalists and staff of the state-owned newspaper but also reposition The Hope for greater efficiency in information dissemination.

While acknowledging government’s interventions in upgrading facilities at the Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC) and the NUJ Press Centre, the Union insisted that similar urgency be extended to the welfare and structural reforms at Owena Press.

The NUJ, however, commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for his progressive policies in the education sector and urged his administration to remain focused on developmental strides across the state.