By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
Bereaved families of seven Journalists who lost their lives in a recent fatal motor accident on Billiri-Kumo road in Gombe State after attending a colleague’s wedding have received a total of N14 million from the Gombe State Government.
Presenting N2m to each of the family representative, the Secretary to the Gombe State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, said the gesture was meant to support and augment burial and other related expenses.
He stated also that the intervention is part of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to cushioning the impact of the painful loss on the affected families.
He said the Governor also assumed full responsibility for the medical treatment and hospital bills of those who sustained injuries and are currently receiving care.
According to him, the funds were not compensation, but a gesture of compassion aimed at supporting the families during this difficult period.
“Our hearts have been restless since this tragic incident. While we cannot bring back the departed or fully compensate for the loss, His Excellency has approved this support to assist with burial expenses, just as the Government has taken full responsibility for the medical bills of those who survived,” Njodi said.
He then conveyed the Governor’s heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the management of the National Television Authority (NTA) and the entire media community, urging the bereaved families to take solace in the will of Allah.
National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahaya Abdullahi, who was present at the event, appreciated the Gombe State Government for the swift, compassionate andyy unprecedented intervention, noting that the NUJ is deeply grateful for the support.
He appealed to the Federal Government to fast-track the implementation of life and health insurance schemes for journalists, urging State Governments, including Gombe, to key in once the policy is implemented.
Abubakar Adamu, General Manager of NTA Gombe, while conveying the appreciation of the Director-General of the NTA, Salihu Dembos, said the entire NTA family across the country holds the Gombe State Government in high esteem for the gesture.
Speaking on behalf of the bereaved families, Barrister Abubakar Ahmed praised Governor Inuwa Yahaya for the gesture and described it as the first of its kind in the history of the state.
End.
