A philanthropist and former governorship aspirant, Dr. Law Osondu has said that journalists everywhere should be supported through the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Osondu argued that because journalists report from the frontline does not in any make them immune to the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.
He therefore urged government and stakeholders to provide newsmen palliatives and PPEs to help them through the period of the pandemic.
The Mbaise born nursing practitioner said: “Journalists across the world are considered as being on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19, but they are by no means immune to the health and socio-economic impacts of the pandemic. It is my considered opinion that there should be an institutionalized support system for Nigerian journalists on the frontline in times of emergency and not only for the pandemic. Dr. Law Osondu who had led many free medical missions to Imo state spoke through his media aide, Mr. Ugochukwu Chimeziri when he presented food materials and PPEs to journalists through the Correspondents Chapel in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
He called for capacity building for journalists through trainings and retraining, grants and fellowship awards for practicing journalists in the state, stressing that the quality of journalism practise in a state is a reflection of the quality of the society.
