ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- After over five decades, the dilapidated Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ) Press Center, Enugu State, has received a facelift.
This was achieved through the support and intervention by Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the Governor of Enugu State.
Voiceofnaija.ng gathered that this is the first time in about half a century that a government intervention is coming to the center.
Speaking during official handling over ceremony of the keys to the reconstructed Press Center, on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Works, Greg Nnaji, representing the Governor said: “This is a very big mile stone by his Excellency.“
While handing over the keys officially to Comrade Sam Udekwe, the Chairman NUJ Enugu State Council, at the Press Center, Nnaji disclosed that on a visit to this Press Center in April, the Governor immediately ordered that this building be remoulded to befit a suitable place for journalists in Enugu State.
The Commissioner said: “Recall that this Press Center has been here for over five decades. For the first time in the history of our state, an intervention has come.
“The intervention came through his visit to the press center in April, thereafter, he ordered that renovation work should be carried out immediately.
“His start to finish approach to projects was applied, such that in three to four months, we were able to get through these exploits.”
Nnaji thanked Governor Ugwuanyi, the journalists, and everyone around, saying that “anything good for the journalists and for entire Enugu people is also for the propagation of good governance.”
The Commissioner for Works, while speaking on the engineering works done and the compartments of the newly remoulded structure, said: “Recall that before now, the right wing of this roof was carrying a lintel roof, we removed it. In the process, there is another suspended slack to the adequate supporting structures, that is why we now have another hall upstairs.”
He continued: “The whole roof cascading, we removed them, and got to the state of hard roofing sheets to befit the present day technology status of a journalist house. Then other clear finishings, paintings, and rearranging in certain parts.
“For the records, this structure was fully remolded with an upper floor that houses for the first time a kind of computer center for the press of Enugu State.”
Responding, the NUJ Chairman thanked the Governor for his quick intervention, describing it as a dream come through.
Comrade Sam pledged the support of the Enugu State journalists to the Governor.
According to him: “We will continue to support the Governor in responsive information in manner that is expected of a journalist.”