By Tony Adibe
The Enugu State Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has inaugurated the new-look Press Centre for the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Chapter.
The facility was newly re-modelled by the Ugwuanyi-led government. NewsBits reports that this latest intervention, is the biggest and most comprehensive on the building in the last 30 years.
Recall that the building housing the Enugu NUJ Press Center was said to have been donated to the Journalists by the defunct administration of the late Dr. Ajai Ukpabi Asika when he was appointed the Administrator of the East Central State by the then Nigeria Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon.
Also, recall that during the administration of of the then Enugu State Governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, a certain wing of the massive building was burnt, apparently by arsonists allegedly working as agents of the establishment. The Sullivan Chime government also intervened in renovation of the burnt section. But no government has done the kind of comprehensive remodelling as Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration.
However, Governor Ugwuanyi , after inaugurating the Press Centre named after him – “Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi NUJ Enugu Press Centre” – inspected the projects executed at the centre by his administration and announced additional interventions that would make the facility more conducive for the journalists and the general public to use amid jubilation.
Thanking Governor Ugwuanyi for the unprecedented intervention, the Chairman of NUJ, Enugu State Chapter, Mr Sam Udekwe, said that the governor’s gesture was a surprise package to the journalists and a dream come true.
Udekwe described Ugwuanyi as a jinx breaker and promise keeper, stressing that his imprints in the centre would remain indelible in the history of journalism profession in Enugu State in particular, and the country in general.
“We sincerely thank you, Your Excellency, for this wonderful intervention. We did not dream of it coming from you. This has been our dream, and today, it is a dream come true. You have done us proud, and we are grateful to you sir,” the NUJ chairman said.
Speaking on the project, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Greg Nnaji, an engineer, disclosed that the state government’s intervention was sequel to Governor Ugwuanyi’s visit to the centre, which was then in a deplorable condition.
Nnaji, who described the project as phase one, disclosed that “the last intervention was about three decades ago”, stressing that Ugwuanyi is a man with the Midas touch in everything he does.
The State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Augustine Nnamani and Dr Tony Okam witnessed the event.”
