By Augustine Osayande
The China Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria has donated 16, 000 disposable surgical face masks and 450 disposable medical protective suits to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, as part of efforts against COVID-19.
According to a press statement by the Secretary of the Council, Ochiaka Ugwu, the items were presented to the Chairman of the Council, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche, on Tuesday, at the council’s secretariat in Abuja.
The Vice Chairman of the chamber, Mr. Suo Guoming, said the donation came as a result of the respect they had for journalists.
He said that as frontline workers journalists were exposed to many dangers and the need to protect themselves.
Guoming noted that journalists as guide of the people and voice of the nation deserved to be protected to enable them discharge their duties of reporting objectively and without bias.
“As we know both Nigeria and China are developing countries. And you journalists are the guide of the people and the nation, guardian of the democracy and uncrowned king of freedom.
“You are the frontier to the battle against the pandemic. But still need protection and support for fighting the pandemic, that’s why we are here,” he said.
According to Guoming, “the China Chambers of Commerce has almost all the major Chinese companies in Nigeria as members and have played an important role in strengthening and promoting the relationship between both countries.”
He said they recently worked with Hubei Zal Foundation from China to support Nigeria to fight the pandemic and the foundation donated some personal protective items to Nigeria Union of Journalists to mitigate the risk of the pandemic.
In his reaction, Chairman of Council, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche, thanked the Chamber for their donation, saying that the gifts demonstrated, in strong measures, the “People-to-People Contact” which China professes and spreads.
He said that Chinese community had greatly helped in providing palliatives to their members who worked in the frontline.
Ogbeche promised that the items would be appropriately distributed to journalists who needed it more than ever for their reportage.
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