Abuja: 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 highlighted the demanding nature of news gathering and processing that often leaves journalists and editors with little time for physical exercise and wellness activities.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, 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,’ Ali stated.
Ali emphasized the need for media organizations to create opportunities for staff to exercise and monitor their health. NAN has introduced a weekly arrangement allowing staff members to reduce their workload by one hour to utilize 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 to exercise, and every quarter, we do this walking and jogging exercise,’ Ali explained.
The initiative is designed to help staff assess and improve their physical, mental, and cardiovascular wellbeing. Ali noted that sedentary lifestyles could contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart-related conditions. The agency started the quarterly exercise in 2024 and has sustained it to promote wellness and a healthier workforce. The exercise also serves as a means to build team spirit, social cohesion, and stron
ger working relationships among staff.
Ali mentioned that the initiative has been extended to NAN’s Lagos Directorate, where the fitness exercise was recently introduced. The Lagos office decided to make the activity a monthly ritual, instead of quarterly, due to its positive reception. The exercise provides an opportunity for staff to interact outside their normal professional roles, with titles being blurred, fostering camaraderie and togetherness.
The representative of Alfa Designs Nigeria Ltd., Somtochukwu Ifediegwu, expressed the company’s honor in supporting the NAN Health Walk as its major sponsor. Ifediegwu stated the company’s commitment to promoting healthy living through its GMV application, which helps users monitor their health. She expressed the willingness to sustain the partnership with NAN on health and wellness initiatives.
Oluwaseun Kumuyi, Regional Marketing Executive at Cway Manufacturing, Abuja, affirmed the company’s pleasure in supporting the exercise. Kumuyi noted that regular exer
cise, including stretching and walking, contributes to good health and longevity. He assured NAN of Cway’s continued support for the initiative whenever called upon.
The fifth edition of the NAN Quarterly Walking/Jogging exercise brought together staff and representatives of partner organizations to promote fitness, wellness, and social cohesion within the agency.