Mr Banji Sarumoh, the General Manager, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Ilorin, said that Nigerian journalists had the worst conditions of service in the world. Sarumoh made the statement on Wednesday in Ilorin at a session taged "NUJ Parliament", organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kwara chapter.

He observed that the media played pivotal role in the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria. He blamed poor funding and proliferation of media houses for the impoverishment of journalists, urging the NUJ to clamp down on media houses that could not pay staff salaries.

"Nigerian journalists have the worst condition of service in the world and this is because of proliferation of media houses. "What journalists collect in Nigeria today is very ridiculous when compared to the job we do.

"The NUJ should guard against the proliferation; why must someone set up media outfit, when he knows he cannot pay salary?" Sarumoh advised journalists to embark on developmental and investigative journalism and be conscientious while discharging their duties.

He said there was need for journalists to avoid unnecessary romance with politicians, to give the profession good image. "We have fallen short in areas of developmental and investigative journalism; what we do most is politicking and writing political stories. "Embarking on developmental journalism will help the nation and the people as a whole," the general manager said. (NAN)