The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, NPAN, yesterday, re-elected the Chairman of Media Trust Group, publishers of Daily Trust titles and owners of Trust TV and Radio, Malam Kabiru Yusuf as president for a second term,Daily Trust report.
He was re-elected during the Annual General Meeting of the association held in Lagos.
The Deputy President of NPAN, Lady Maiden Alex- Ibru was also re-elected by the members. Others are Mr. Ray Ekpu, OFR as council member; Dr. Nwadiuto Iheakanwa as Public secretary; Prince Dennis Sami as council member and Azu Ishiekwene as Assistant General Secretary.
During the AGM, new officials for other offices were elected. These include the Publisher, Business Day, Frank Aigbogun as Vice President; the Chairman, Punch Newspaper, Angela Emuma as the General Secretary; the Publisher, Daily Times, Mr. Fidelis Anosike as treasurer and the Managing Director, New Telegraph Newspaper, Ayo Aminu as an Ex-officio member.
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They were all elected unopposed.
The duo of Mr. Olawale Edun and Alhaji Mohammed Idris, who are now ministers, resigned as members of the executive council.
The association’s life patrons Prince Nduka Obaigbena, CON and Chief Olusegun Osoba, CON were present at the AGM.
Speaking after his re-election as president, Malam Kabiru A. Yusuf said NPAN will engage the federal government in a bid to revive the three government-owned newsprint mills which have gone moribund.
The three newsprint mills include Nigeria Paper Mill (NPM)Limited located in Jebba, Kwara State; Nigerian Newsprint Manufacturing Company (NNMC)Limited, Oku-Iboku, Akwa Ibom State; and Nigerian National Paper Manufacturing Company (NNPMC) Limited in Ogun State.
According to him, “The idea that came at this meeting is to see what we can do about the three newsprint companies.
“What can we do to go back to local newsprint production? If you do that the problem of the dollar is minimised. But that’s a very long, tall order. But we certainly have discussed that, we will engage the government to see how this can come on board,” he said.
Briefing newsmen about the outcome of the meeting, the association’s publicity secretary, Dr. Nwadiuto Iheakanwa said the AGM afforded ample time to address economic and administrative challenges affecting the print media sector in the country.
“Well, the meeting was about our AGM and we took inventory of activities last year. What do we hope to achieve? How do we survive the terrain and enjoy the environment today. Everybody is aware that it is actually challenging to do any business in Nigeria and the media is not above the economic challenges,” she said.
She added that the leadership also brainstormed on how to harness available resources to mitigate the challenges.
