COVID-19: Lagos NURTW pledges to enhance safety, performance of journalists
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Dr Qasim Akinreti, NUJ Chairman, Lagos State and Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, A.K.A MC Oluomo, NURTW Chairman, Lagos State
Leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, has demonstrated that part of its social responsibility is to collaborate with the media in numerous ways as feasible, to ensure adequate public education is churn out to the general public without fear or favour. And under the present global pandemic, the union is supporting the media in the onerous duty of helping the citizenry appreciate government efforts and the support of trade unions that are critical to the consummation of the nation’s transportation value chain critical to the country’s economic sustenance
The Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of NURTW, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as “MC-Oluomo”, demonstrated the critical need for collaboration when he presented locally-fabricated face masks of high quality, to the leadership of Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, to aid journalists in Lagos to comply with one of the safety protocols in preventing the spread of the heinous COVID-19 pandemic in the state of aquatic splendor..
Akinsanya presented the items to Lagos State Council Chairman of NUJ, Dr. Quasim Akinreti, at a very brief ceremony during a courtesy visit by the NUJ leadership to NURTW Secretariat at Agege, in the Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, LCDA.
According to the NURTW boss, the face masks, were part of the Union’s token of support for journalists as one of the frontline members who, ostensibly are vulnerable in the course of discharging their constitutional duty as members of the fourth estate of the realm saddled with reporting and educating the general public on the pandemic.
Akinsanya enthused, “the media is one of the cardinal groups in winning the battle against COVID-19 pandemic. They have been informing and educating us on how to prevent contracting the virus as well as halt its spread.
He said further that “ I deemed it fit to lend my support to what you are doing; for your dedication, steadfastness, among others. You are doing a great job that must be commended and encouraged. You have kept the public abreast of activities of government in the fight against the virus”.
He pledged his executive council readiness to collaborate with the Lagos NUJ when he declared that, “I hereby, express my readiness to partner with the media in impacting positively on the society at large. Do not hesitate to call on me whenever the need arises.”

MC-Oluomo also used the occasion to urge journalists to strictly comply with the COVID-19 safety protocols aimed at protecting them from contracting the virus, such as regular hand washing with soap, and the use of face masks as well as alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Receiving the face masks on behalf of Lagos NUJ, Akinreti commended the leadership of Lagos State NURTW and especially its Chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya, whose prompt attention to issues facilitated the courtesy visit even at a very short notice.
Akinreti while appreciating the gesture said, the face masks would go a long way in ensuring the safety of journalists as they go about their duties. The NUJ boss called on other well-meaning individuals, groups and corporate organisations to emulate MC- Oluomo and the NURTW exco’s unique demonstration of Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, by supporting journalists in the course of their duties
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