Subsidy Removal: Include Us In Sharing of Palliatives – Enugu NUJ Urges Mbah

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Enugu State Council, has appealed to Governor Peter Mbah, to carry journalists along in the distribution of palliatives received from the federal government.

The appeal is contained in a communique issued at the end of its monthly congress held on Thursday, 31st of August 2023 and presided over by its Chairman, Comrade Sam Udekwe.

Recall that the Federal Government on August, 17 announced a N5billion palliative to each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

On May 29, in his inaugural speech, President Bola Tinubu said the petrol subsidy regime was over.

Addressing reporters after the statutory meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State said the N5 billion is to enable state governments procure 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize and fertilizers to cushion the effect of food shortage across the country.

Rising from its August Congress, NUJ Enugu State Council led by Comrade Sam Udekwe after deliberating on the welfare of members and ways to improve its function as the fourth Estate of the realm reiterated the need for the state government to include journalists working in the state in its palliative distribution programme to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

The communique in full:

“The Congress stresses the need to maintain cordial relationship existing between Journalists in the state and the Enugu state Police Command by paying courtesy visit to the new CP Kanayo Uzuegbu.

“NUJ urges the State government to be upbeat on the issue of security, especially at Enugu-Ezike area of Igboeze North LGA,as well as other parts of the state, where kidnapping, killings and other forms of crimes seem to have overwhelmed the people.

“The Council urges all her members to obey all traffic rules, help to educate members of the public to adhere strictly to traffic rules guiding the roads in the state
while advising the state Ministry of Transport to operate within the established rules guiding the ministry.