Anambra Government Pledges Welfare Support for Journalists at NUJ 35th Anniversary.
Commissioner Law Mefor, speaking for the governor, links media partnership on welfare to calls for balanced coverage amid ongoing state development.
AWKA, Nigeria — The iNews Times | Soludo support for journalists took centre stage on Thursday as the Anambra State Government pledged concrete partnership on welfare and health while calling on media practitioners to practise responsible and development-driven reporting. The assurance came from the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, who spoke on behalf of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) https://nuj.ng Anambra State Council’s 35th Anniversary and 2026 Man of the Year Awards/Press Week Grand Finale held at the Annabel Event Centre in Awka.
The event brought together the NUJ National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahya, media stakeholders and awardees recognised for their contributions to journalism and society in Anambra. Mefor’s remarks framed the relationship between government and the press as one of mutual accountability at a time when the state is pushing aggressive infrastructure renewal.
In this report, we examine the key developments, reactions from stakeholders, and the broader implications.
Background of the Story
Anambra State and the NUJ Anambra Council share a common founding year, a fact Mefor highlighted while congratulating the union on 35 years of institutional growth. Over those decades the council has operated in a state that has seen successive administrations and, more recently, a pronounced focus on physical transformation under Governor Soludo. The commissioner described present-day Anambra as “a construction site,” with projects spanning multiple sectors and visible activity across the landscape.
This backdrop of rapid development has heightened the stakes for media coverage. Journalism remains the only profession expressly mandated by the 1999 Constitution to hold government accountable. In a still-evolving democracy that Mefor likened to a marathon rather than a sprint, the press occupies an irreplaceable role. Yet the same constitutional responsibility, officials argue, carries an obligation to report in ways that inform without inflaming.
Key Developments
Responding directly to the NUJ National President’s appeal for “cheap and cheerful” healthcare for journalists, Mefor pointed to the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme. For an annual premium of ₦12,000, any resident can access a range of health interventions, with limited exceptions such as cancer treatment. He announced that the state government would work with the NUJ State Chairman, Dr Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, and the council leadership to explore group enrolment that would make the scheme more accessible to media practitioners.
On the broader question of media practice, the commissioner struck a careful balance. He affirmed that journalists must report the truth and hold power to account. At the same time he cautioned against sensational language that could generate unnecessary chaos. “When you say ‘people were killed’ and when you say ‘people were massacred’, there is a difference,” he said. “That is all government is pleading for: report responsibly.”
Mefor closed by assuring journalists of the government’s readiness to support them and invited the council to reach out whenever practitioners face professional or personal challenges.
Reactions from Stakeholders
The presence of NUJ National President Comrade Alhassan Yahya underscored the national significance of the Anambra council’s anniversary. Although detailed remarks from the national president were not the focus of the commissioner’s address, the call for improved healthcare for journalists clearly prompted the state’s concrete response on group enrolment under the health insurance scheme. Local media stakeholders and award recipients present at the Annabel Event Centre witnessed a public commitment that linked welfare support to expectations of professional conduct.
Implications
The dual message of support and responsibility carries both practical and political weight. By opening a pathway to affordable health cover for journalists, the Soludo administration addresses a long-standing welfare gap that has affected media workers nationwide. Group enrolment, if successfully negotiated, could set a useful precedent for other states. At the same time, the explicit appeal for measured language reflects a wider tension in Nigerian public life: how to maintain robust accountability journalism without contributing to social instability.
For The iNews Times audience following governance and media freedom in the South-East, the exchange illustrates how state governments increasingly seek partnership rather than confrontation with the press, especially when infrastructure delivery forms a central plank of their political narrative. The emphasis on development-driven reporting aligns with the administration’s self-presentation as a results-oriented government.
What Happens Next
Practical follow-up will centre on discussions between the Ministry of Information, the NUJ Anambra leadership and the operators of the state health insurance scheme. Successful group enrolment would convert the public pledge into tangible benefit for journalists. On the editorial side, the call for responsible reporting is likely to remain a recurring theme in official engagements with the media as Anambra continues its construction drive and prepares for future political cycles.
Conclusion
Soludo support for journalists, articulated through Commissioner Law Mefor at the NUJ Anambra 35th anniversary, pairs a practical welfare offer with a clear request for professional restraint. In a state described as a vast construction site and in a democracy still finding its rhythm, the relationship between government and the press remains both essential and delicate. How that partnership develops in the months ahead will help determine whether Anambra’s media environment strengthens accountability while contributing to the stability required for sustained development. The iNews Times will continue to monitor the outcomes of this engagement.
