By Innocent Anaba

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State Council, has appealed to media owners to provide necessary preventive measures against Coronavirus (COVID-19) in their respective media establishments.

According to the Union, such measures would make the journalists’ job easy, as they were classified as essential workers by the federal and state governments while the lockdown over COVID-19 pandemic lasts.

Lagos NUJ, in a statement on COVID-19, Wednesday, by Dr. Qasim Akinreti, Chairman, and Alfred Odifa, Secretary, enjoined media owners and journalists to adhere to the social distancing and other stipulated precautionary measures.

The statement said: “We are worried and concerned for our members at this trying period.

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“While we commended the concerted efforts of the Lagos State government and the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, NCDC, on the corona scourge, media owners should complement the state government by doing everything possible in providing palliatives to journalists in their respective organisations.

“We noted with dismay the non-payment of salaries to our members for months, preceding the lockdown.

“The NUJ noted that the media workers have been left out of the government food items distribution, as Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly did for Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, and National Association of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.

“The Union appeals to individuals and corporate bodies to assist the union to provide succor for its teeming members at this crucial time.

“Lagos NUJ advises members, who are not on duty, to stay at home for the 14 days.  Please stay safe.”

Vanguard