BY PRINCELY ONYENWE, IMO –
The practice of journalism to the best of my knowledge does not entail fighting the Government in power or the Government institutions.
Also, the work of a publisher also does not entail fighting the Government and stakeholders, a publisher of a newspaper is a businessman whose interest include among others, looking for business opportunities to boost the business empire.
These are part of the statements made by one of the media icons in Imo, Chief Ford Ozurumba at the election and subsequent swearing-in of the new executive members of the Imo State Publishers Association (INPA).
Ozurumba while describing the election as most transparent however charged the new executive to sustain the transparency of the electoral body in the discharge of their duties as the new executive.
INPA as an umbrella body of the Imo publishers had last Saturday conducted an election of the union where the publisher of the Eastern Lead Newspaper, Comr. Declan Anaele emerged as the new Chairman, Chukwuemeka Ike, the Publisher of City Star, as the Vice Chairman among other executives.
Addressing the newly elected INPA Executives, the outgoing
Chairman, Hon. Henry Ekpe, of Trumpeta Newspaper, who also performed the swearing-in ceremony of the executive members, charged those elected as leaders of INPA under Comr. Anele to ensure they carried every member along in the scheme of things adding that the Association belongs to all members and not a few.
Speaking on behalf of the new INPA executive members, the Chairman, Declan Anaele, promised to reposition the organization.
Anaele, who is the Publisher of Lead Express Newspapers however made it clear that his government is not coming to fight the stakeholders in the state or the government rather to partner with them.
Meanwhile, the Publisher of Eastern Lead Express Newspaper, Declan Anaele, has emerged as the new Chairman, Imo Newspaper Publishers Association, INPA.
In a press release signed by the INPA 2021 Electoral Committee and made available to newsmen stated that “Anele polled 14 votes to be elected in an election as the sole contestant”.
“Anaele became the sole contestant after Amb. Shirley Munonye, the Publisher of Frontline Express Newspaper dropped out of the race by not returning her completed expression of interest form”.
Also elected were Elder Chukwuemeka Ike, Co-Publisher, City Star (Vice-Chairman); Leonard Ajokubi, Publisher, People’s Hero (Secretary); Martin Ukanwa, Publisher, Spartan Newspaper (Public Relations Officer); and Jotham Emenyonu, Publisher, Edge Express (Financial Secretary).
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, George Nkwoji explained that the constitution provides that in the event that only one aspirant runs for an office, he could be returned opposed.
Nkwoji stated that the committee decided that a voice vote be taken for all the contestants in spite of being the only ones running for the different positions.
The voice voting was approved before the commencement of the polls and the 14 members voted massively for all contestants.
In his speech, a renowned journalist and observer during the polls, Ford Ozumba commended the association for conducting what he described as transparent and credible polls.
He enjoined members of the association to continue to partner with critical stakeholders in the state for the growth and prosperity of the newspaper business in the state.
Also speaking, the immediate past Chairman of the association, Henry Ekpe expressed his happiness at the successful conduct of the polls and the emergence of a new executive.
He charged the executive to carry on from where his executive stopped and introduce innovations that would take the association to greater heights.
A former Chairman of the association, Chidi Emeagi congratulated the new executive on their election.
He expressed happiness that the executive is composed of young people, who are usually the ones that strive to make a difference.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Imo State Council, Chris Akaraonye described INPA as a critical stakeholder to the NUJ in that the association employs members of the union.
He stated that the union would partner with the association for the growth of the journalism profession.
In his acceptance speech, the new Chairman, Declan Anaele pledged to contribute his quota to the growth of the association.
He thanked the members of the association for reposing confidence in him and pledged not to disappoint the association.
That of Mrs Shirley Muonye’s faction has continued to claim the actual position of INPA at the time of this report.
9News Nigeria (Owerri)
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