Folorunsho Poroye, a retired Deputy Editor-in-Chief (DEIC) at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday appealed to the Federal Government to do more urgently to alleviate the suffering of the masses caused by petrol subsidy removal.
Poroye, the immediate past Acting Head of Lagos Directorate of NAN, made the appeal during a send-off ceremony organised for him and two others who recently retired from the directorate.
The others are Messrs Abdulfatah Babatunde and Edwin Nwachukwu, DEIC and Assistant Editor-in-Chief, respectively.
Babatunde was also an Acting Head of Lagos Directorate of NAN.
Poroye said that removal of the subsidy had resulted in high cost of petrol and other goods and services.
According to him, many Nigerians are finding it difficult to afford daily food and other necessities.
He added that Nigerians’ quest to travel out in search of greener pastures had increased due to the economic hardship.
“Things are really getting though,” he said.
Poroye, who worked in NAN for 29 years, thanked God for grace, and thanked NAN management and staff for support and cooperation.
Commenting, Nwachukwu thanked NAN for giving him an opportunity to excel in journalism.
Nwachukwu, who was a NAN Bureau Chief, United Nations/North American Correspondent, advised the agency’s workers to shun nepotism and tribal and religious sentiments.
He advised them to prioritise hard work and excellence.
“Make more friends than enemies,” he said.
Also responding, Babatunde advised NAN staff members to be good to one another and make more impact on the their jobs.
According to him, life is a stage.
Prince Sefiu Ojetimi, also a retired DEIC at NAN, who came to felicitate the other three retired staff, described them as models.
He encouraged them to continue to do good.
Joseph Idika, Head of Lagos Editorial Operations of the directorate, said that the retirement of the three staff created a vacuum.
He thanked them for their dedication to duty and exemplary lives.
“I suddenly found out that some big trees have been uprooted, I pray we have some fillers,” he said.
Adeleye Ajayi, the Chairman of Lagos Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, described the retirees as go-getters, great journalists, teachers and mentors.
He advised serving staff of NAN to emulate them to be able to distinguish themselves.