CROSS RIVER, CALABAR – The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council, has commended the release of ₦25 million each to 18 business and shop owners affected by the August 22, 2026 fire incident at SPAR Shopping Mall on Barracks Road, Calabar.
In a communiqué signed by Comrade Archibong Bassey, NUJ Cross River State Council Chairman and issued at the end of the NUJ’s September State Congress held on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, Calabar, the support amounts to a combined ₦450 million.
The Congress commended the Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Bola Tinubu, for the intervention, which it said was made through the Cross River State Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu.
The fire incident at the shopping mall had affected businesses and shops operated by residents, prompting concerns over the economic impact on the affected operators.
In its seven-point resolution, the NUJ Congress also commended the Cross River State Government for supporting state delegates who attended the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Enugu State.
The Congress further expressed concern over the condition of several roads within the Calabar metropolis, urging the state government to urgently rehabilitate affected roads to improve accessibility and ease the movement of motorists and residents.
On education, the journalists called on relevant government agencies to address the deplorable condition of some public schools across the state.
The Congress specifically urged consideration of a state of emergency in severely affected schools to bring them up to modern educational standards.
It also called on residents to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse in unauthorised locations and take greater responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean.
Meanwhile, the Congress urged practising journalists across Cross River to prioritise regular medical check-ups and pay greater attention to their health and well-being.
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