The Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Olusegun Runsewe has distributed face masks and sanitizers to select media houses in Abuja.
Speaking to journalists, Runsewe said that time has come for someone to make special provision for journalists who are also in the forefront of the fight to reduce or eradicate the spread of the much dreaded Coronavirus that is killing people all over the world.
The Director General who is also the President of the World Crafts Council, Africa Region, specially thanked journalists in Nigeria for their efforts in rising to the occasion, by ensuring that timely and effective dissemination of adequate and correct information about the pandemic is given out to the public in good time.
He appealed to the Press not to relent in their efforts in sensitizing the masses and mobilizing efforts and resources towards eradicating the much dreaded disease called coronavirus.
Furthermore, Runsewe urged them to be mindful and ensure that they give out accurate information, bearing in mind that so many Nigerians believe so much in the information they give.
While presenting the face masks and Sanitizers to the reporters, Runsewe added that he will ensure that enough face masks and sanitizers will be given to each media house, to enable people in the newsroom to benefit from it.
He reminded the journalists that this is a special face mask made from Adire and Ankara fabrics embossed with NCAC logo to avoid imitation and to showcase home grown solutions.
“The raw materials for both the face masks and the sanitizers are locally sourced and this is intended to create employment for the teeming unemployed youths. We must continue to look inwards for the diversification of our economy.
“In continuation of NCAC contribution to the fight against COVID-19, the Council has also mass produced culture friendly manuals and jotters for other cultural stakeholders”, he said.
Meanwhile, Runsewe while consoling the President on the death of his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, commended President Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential Task Force and the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on the measures taken so far to curb the spread of the disease in Nigeria.
He pointed out that the recent directive by the Sultan of Sokoto that there should be no public lectures during the month of Ramadan is very commendable and worthy of emulation by other religious faithfuls.
Runsewe in addition extended his commendation to other traditional rulers for their efforts in mobilising their subjects against the spread of covid 19 disease.
He, however,appealed to the governor of Ebonyi state, David Umahi, to amicably resolve the face-off with journalists in his state, to enable them continue their jobs which is very important at a time like this.
