Why We Don’t Accept IIJ Certificate – Bayelsa HoS

Bayelsa State Head of Service ,Biobelemoye Onyema-Charles has given reasons why the state government has not recognised certificates from the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), affiliated with the University of Maiduguri.

She disclosed this when the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa State Council, led by the chairman, Comrade Tonye Yemoleigha, paid her a courtesy call.

The HoS stated that the state appreciates the essence of training and retraining civil servants to enhance productivity and efficiency, adding that the state civil service’s non-recognition of the certificate from IIJ was based on policy.

She said, “Regarding the non-recognition of a certificate from IIJ, an affiliate of the University of Maiduguri, the state only accepts and recognises certificates from the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ ) Lagos, but the University of Maiduguri is a long-distance programme with a certain kilometre range.

“That is why we do not recognise the IIJ Certificate, because it has exceeded its catchment area in distance learning. Bayelsans know that the policy is black and white and that the IIJ certificate is not recognised.”

However, she promised to support the union in training and retraining, adding that the state can enjoy balanced reportage with the right and qualified journalists.

Earlier, the state NUJ chairman, Comrade Tonye Yemoleigha, had sought the assistance of the office of the head of service in training and retraining members and support for the proposed media summit to be organised by the state council.

“When we came onboard, we embarked on a membership audit to ascertain the certification of practising journalists in the state, but the report from that committee revealed that less than 30% were not certificated, and this is not healthy, and we are poised to change the narrative as the exercise was not meant to witch-hunt members”, he said.