This is as journalists in Bayelsa State continue to lament their non-inclusion in the activities of the state government and COVID-19 committee.

Member of the NUJ Board of Trustees (BoT), John Angese, and the chairman of Bayelsa Council, Samuel Numenengi, made this known Friday in Yenagoa during the presentation of PPE to journalists by House of Assemblymember representing Kolokuma/Opokuma Constituency 2, Wisdom Fafi, at the NUJ secretariat.

Agese noted that despite the risky job of journalists, police, health workers and other essential workers in the sensitisation, security and treatment of COVID-19 patients, the federal and state governments treat them as unqualified to benefit from PPE, testing and presentation of palliatives to cushion the effect of the pandemic.

He called on governments and the private sector to consider the essential workers, as they leave behind families at home to safeguard the lives of many Nigerians.

Numenengi noted that despite the huge role being played by journalists and other essential workers, they remained neglected and left vulnerable to contact the virus due to the absence of PPE and others.

He thanked the lawmaker for presenting the face masks, sanitisers, soaps and others.