Chairman of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, has been elected new president of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
He takes over from Prince Nduka Obaigbena, chairman of Leaders and Company Limited, publishers of This Day, who completed his term of office.
Also elected at the annual general meetings of NPAN are Lady Maiden Ibru, Chairman, Guardian Press Limited (deputy president); Mohammed Idris, Chairman Blueprint Newspapers (secretary); and Mr. Wale Edun, Chairman, The Nation (treasurer).
Others elected are Mrs. Nwadiuto Iheakanwa, MD, Champion Newspapers (Publicity Secretary), Fidelis Anosike, Chairman, Daily Times of Nigeria (assistant secretary) and as ex-officio members, Ray Ekpu, Sam Nda-Isaiah, chairman, Leadership Newspapers and Dennis Sami, chairman, Nigerian Pilot.
Prince Obaigbena joined Mr. Sam Amuka, chairman, Vanguard Newspapers and Segun Osoba as patron.
Meanwhile, the NPAN has urged the Federal Government to make a conscious effort to revive the newsprint factories in Nigeria in order to improve the health of the newspaper business and paper industry.
It also called on the government to take the newspaper business as educational venture and grant zero tariff on operational materials to promote education.
The NPAN reminded the media of its constitutional and civic duty to hold the government accountable to the people.
It frowned at encroachment on freedom of the press and free speech, especially by state actors and urged resistance, through all legitimate means, to any infringement.
The NPAN holds that the right to protest is a fundamental human rights that must be guaranteed by the government in such a way as to stave off violence.
The association also resolved to give attention to media education in Nigeria and support 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.
NPAN asked the Federal Government to rise up to its responsibilities of protecting life and property by stamping out terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
It tasked the Federal Government to step up its response to the COVID-19 pandemic by making aggressive effort to procure the vaccines from whatever sources as may be available and vaccinate Nigerians against the deadly disease.