The leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has challenged the Federal, State Governments and private business owners to urgently ensure the inclusion of media practitioners and other essential workers in the presentations of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and palliatives to protect and encourage performance and output during the COVID-19 lockdown.
A member of the NUJ, Trustee, Comrade John Angese, and the State Chairman of the Bayelsa Council of NUJ, Comrade Samuel Numonengi, made this known on Friday in Yenagoa.
Comrade John Angese, noted that work of essential work must continue despite the dangers faced by journalists, Police, health workers.
He also said”In the sensitization, security and treatment of COVID-19 virus, the Federal and State Government treat the essential workers as those not qualified to benefit from PPE, testing and presentation of palliative to cushion the effect of the pandemic”
He called on the Federate, State Governments and private sector to consider essential workers as the most vulnerable as they leave behind families at home to perform the needed duty to safeguard the lives of many Nigerians.
Also speaking, the State Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Samuel Numonengi noted that despite the huge role being played by the Nigeria journalists and other essential workers, they remain neglected and left vulnerable to contact the COVID-19 virus due to absence of PPE and others.
