REGISTERED journalists now have an insurance cover which can provide up to N1.5 million death benefit benchmark for a start for beneficiaries.

This milestone came as journalists under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) said they were watching, like the international community, to ensure that votes count in the 2011 elections.

A breakdown of the insurance scheme showed that all registered members between the ages of 18 and 65 were entitled to benefit from it by paying a premium of N6,750 per annum.

Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the NUJ Life Assurance Scheme/Personal Accident Insurance in Abuja, national president of the union, Mallam Muhammad Garba, recalled that some journalists had died in active service with their families depending only on donations from deceased’s companies and well-wishers.

He lamented the intimidation, harassment, assault and assassination meted to media professionals in the country.

He observed that the situation was made worse as some employers in the industry failed to approve pension for their employees and sacked them at will without any gratuity and other entitlements.

Mallam Garba noted that with the 2011 general election approaching, the union was mindful that its members would face a daunting task in covering political events, a situation which, he said, necessitated the group life assurance scheme.

The NUJ president applauded the signing of the electoral bill into law as well as the release of funds requested by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He, however, stated that: “The golden opportunity has come to all those saddled with the responsibility of conducting the election, particularly the Professor Attahiru Jega-led INEC, to either make or mar their names in the political history of Nigeria.”