Gyang Bere, Jos
Plateau Sate Governor, Simon Lalong, has donated N4 .5 million to families of nine deceased journalists who died in the line of duty 11 years ago.
Governor Lalong made the donation during an interactive session with journalists in Jos, to commemorate 19 years of uninterrupted democracy and three years of his administration.
He recalled that nine members of the Plateau State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) were involved in an accident in southern zone of Plateau on their way to inspect projects in the zone. They deceased journalists were in a convoy with the then governor of the state, Joshua Dariye, when he was the Speaker of the State House of Assembly then.
“The present Commissioner of Information, Yakubu Dati, was also the then commissioner of Information that time, therefore, I am donating N4.5 million to all them, each family will get N500,000 to reduce their hardship.”
Lalong said his administration has not forgotten the families of the deceased journalists and assured on welfare of their members.
He urged journalists to criticise the administration constructively, saying government will not see any journalist as an enemy when his or her criticism is constructive.
Lalong reiterated the commitment of his administration to assist the media industry to enable the practitioners perform their professional duties without any form of inducement.