Make Us COVID-19 Vaccination Centre – Nasarawa NUJ Pleads

• 15 journalists receive shots

BY AHMED TUKUR LAFIA – The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nasarawa State Council has appealed to the State Committee on COVID-19 to provide a vaccination centre at its Secretariat for easy access by members of the pen profession and the public.

The Council Secretary, Comrade Sunday John made the appeal in Lafia during the Town Hall meeting on COVID-19 organized by the Presidential Committee in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) at the Aliyu Akwe Doma Banquet Hall, Government House in Lafia, the State capital.

Comrade Sunday, who spoke after receiving the vaccine alongside 14 other journalists at the town hall meeting venue, explained that as front-line workers, journalists have made it a duty to receive the vaccine and encourage members of the public to also get vaccinated.

According to him, with a vaccination centre at the Council Secretariat, more journalists will turn up for the vaccination exercise, adding that the NUJ is planning a sensitization campaign and tour across communities in the state to give the programme more acceptability.

Also speaking during the Town Hall meeting, Governor Abdullahi Sule enjoined the people to come out enmasse to receive the vaccine, assuring that the State government has provided infrastructure at both primary and secondary levels for the people’s well-being.

“I am happy to state that as part of our commitment in this direction is the completion of the Nasarawa State Infection Diseases, Diagnosis and Research Centre”, Governor Sule said.

He then pleaded with the Federal Government to equip the Centre to meet global standards and reduce the rate of medical tourism for diagnosis treatment abroad.

Among dignitaries that graced the Town Hall meeting were Chairman, Presidential Committee on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; two former governors of nasarawa State, Senator Abdulllahi Adamu and Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.