The Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali M. Ali, has raised concerns over the vulnerability of journalists and editors to health challenges due to the sedentary nature of their work.
Ali spoke on Saturday in Abuja at the fifth edition of the NAN Quarterly Walking/Jogging exercise, which began from the agency’s headquarters in the Central Business District through Defence College-Federal Secretariat, Abuja, and back to NAN.
He said the demanding nature of news gathering and processing often left journalists and editors with little time for physical exercise and wellness activities.
According to him, reporters are constantly moving in search of news, while editors spend long hours sitting, monitoring, processing and editing stories.
“In the kind of job we do, you suddenly hear people having cardiac arrest. It is because we are too busy to even check our fitness and wellness.
“Our reporters are hunters of news, while editors sit for long hours filtering stories. They hardly have time to do this kind of fitness and wellness work,” he said.
Ali said the situation made it necessary for media organisations to deliberately create opportunities for staff to exercise and monitor their health.
Read Also:Ogun police bust illegal ‘baby factory’ , rescue pregnant women, children
500 editors, others for NGE conference in Enugu
He said NAN had introduced a weekly arrangement under which staff members were allowed to reduce their workload by one hour to enable them use the agency’s well-equipped gymnasium.
“We encourage all staff to go to the gym twice a week. Their workload is reduced by an hour to enable them exercise, and every quarter, we do this walking and jogging exercise,” he said.
The NAN managing director said the initiative was designed to help staff assess and improve their physical, mental and cardiovascular wellbeing.
He noted that sedentary lifestyles could contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart-related conditions.
Ali said the agency started the quarterly exercise in 2024 and had sustained it as part of efforts to promote wellness and a healthier workforce.
He said the exercise had also become an avenue for building team spirit, social cohesion and stronger working relationships among staff.
“We believe strongly that a team that exercises together and bonds together is a team that can also work seamlessly,” he said.
According to him, the agency has extended the initiative to its Lagos Directorate, where the fitness exercise was recently introduced.
He said the Lagos office had decided to make the activity a monthly ritual, rather than quarterly, following the positive reception it received.
Ali said the exercise also provided an opportunity for staff to interact outside their normal professional roles.
“Here, titles are all blurred. The Editor-in-Chief is like any other person. All the directors, even the MD, have no titles here.
“We are one big family working out together, building together, enjoying this camaraderie, conviviality and togetherness,” he said.
The NAN boss urged journalists and editors to take their health seriously by incorporating regular physical activity into their routines despite the pressures of their profession.
The representative of Alfa Designs Nigeria Ltd., Somtochukwu Ifediegwu, said the company was honoured to support the NAN Health Walk as its major sponsor.
Ifediegwu said the company was committed to promoting healthy living and had introduced its GMV application to help users monitor their health.
She expressed the company’s willingness to sustain its partnership with NAN on health and wellness initiatives.
Oluwaseun Kumuyi, Regional Marketing Executive, Cway Manufacturing, Abuja, said the company was pleased to support the exercise.
Kumuyi said the event, which marked Cway’s second participation, provided an opportunity to promote the importance of physical activity and healthy living.
He said regular exercise, including stretching and walking, could contribute to good health and longevity.
Kumuyi assured NAN of Cway’s continued support for the initiative whenever the agency called on the company.
The fifth edition of the NAN Quarterly Walking/Jogging exercise brought together staff and representatives of partner organisations in an effort to promote fitness, wellness and social cohesion within the agency.(NAN)
