NewsNigeriaPress * MediaMohammed Idris, Blueprint Publisher Now NPAN Scribe As Trust Chair Leads New Team

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Amid dwindling economic fortunes, the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has called on the federal government to make concerted effort towards  reviving the newsprint factories in Nigeria to boost the newspaper industry.

NPAN made the call Tuesday in a  communiqué  after its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, during which new executive members were elected.

Those elected include Chairman Trust Media Limited, Malam Kabir A. Yusuf, (president); while Chairman Guardian Press Limited, Lady Maiden Ibru, emerged deputy president.

Also elected were Publisher Blueprint Newspapers Mohammed Idris who emerged secretary,  Mr. Wale Edun, Chairman The Nations Press Limited as treasurer; MD Champion Newspapers  Nwaduito Iheakanwa as publicity secretary, Chairman Daily Times of Nigeria Fidelis Anosike as assistant general secretary, while Mr. Ray Ekpu of Newswatch, Chairman Leadership Newspapers Sam Nda-Isaiah, and Publisher Nigeria Pilot  Dennis Sami were elected  Ex-Officio members.

Making a case for the revival of the newspaper industry at the end of the meeting, NPAN said:  “In the interim, the government should take the newspaper business as an educational venture and grant zero tariff on paper to promote education and constitutional and civic duty of the media at holding the government accountable to the people.

“That the NPAN in particular, pays deserving attention to media education in Nigeria and supports the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) to achieve the stated objective for its establishment, including an upgrade to a degree awarding media training institution in the future.”

While noting that the media was evolving in view of the digital intrusion,  the communiqué urged the executive council to respond appropriately.

NPAN frowned at the steady encroachment on freedom of the press and free speech, especially by state actors and urged resistance through all legitimate means to any infringement on press freedom and free speech.

The meeting also reflected on the absence of paper culture on the newspaper industry in particular and the Nigerian economy in general.

It called on the federal government to rise up to its responsibilities of protecting life and property by stamping out terrorism, banditry, kidnapping

On the recent EndSARS protest nationwide, the association stated that “the right to protest is a fundamental human right that must be guaranteed by the Nigerian state in such a way as to stave off violence.”

The association further called on the federal government to “rev its response to the COVID-19 pandemic by making aggressive effort to procure the vaccines from whatever sources as may be available and vaccinate our citizens against the deadly disease.”