DELTA GOVT. ACCORDS OBIEMENYEGO LED ACNPN RECOGNITION AS UMBRELLA BODY OF PUBLISHERS IN DELTA
OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO
Mr. Charles Aniagwu, Commissioner for Information has resolved the seemingly lingering crisis in the association of community newspaper publishers just as he, on behalf of the Delta State Government accorded recognition to the Com. Jude Obiemenyego led Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN)Delta State Chapter as the umbrella body for community newspaper publishers in the state.
At the end of a crucial stakeholders meeting with members of the ACNPN and some aggrieved publishers in the state, Mr. Aniagwu disclosed that the Delta State Government recognizes only ACNPN led by Jude Obiemenyego, adding, “and will relate with the body when dealing with community newspaper publishers in the state.”
Mr. Aniagwu noted that aggrieved members ought to have resorted to the constitution of the association in seeking redress to their grievances rather than attempting to allegedly pull down the house.
According to the Commissioner for Information, “I am not here to score the leaders of the association if they have done well or not since they assumed office. My take is that you all elected Jude Obiemenyengo as your Chairman and anyone aggrieved should be patient to vote him out when his tenure elapses and not try to pull down an association you all contributed in building.”
Mr. Aniagwu added,”I met with ACNPN and another different group of publishers separately some days back and decided to call every publisher here today to see if we can have one house.”
He however called on all publishers in the state to unite and become a formidable voice under one platform, ACNPN, adding that the government will only deal with ACNPN henceforth as the only recognised umbrella body for community newspaper publishers in the state.
Meanwhile, in a press statement, signed by Jude Obiemenyego and Mercy Akuba, chairman and secretary respectively of the ACNPN made available to journalists in Asaba, the Association commended Mr. Aniagwu for intervening in the affairs of the association in order to foster peace and promote grassroot journalism in the state.
According to the statement, “the leaders and members of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria use this medium to commend the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu for intervening in the crisis that hitherto rocked the association in Delta State.”
The Association added, “we are glad that the truth has come to the open, as the Honourable Commissioner has on behalf of the Delta State Government endorsed and recognised the association as the only umbrella body for publishers in the state led by Comrade Jude Obiemenyego
Furthermore, the association passed a vote of confidence on the Jude Obiemenyego-led executive, as they promised to support the state government in pushing her ‘Stronger Delta’ agenda.
The Association then extended olive branch to all aggrieved members to join hands to move the association to greater heights, the statement added, “we advise all publishers in the state to come under this umbrella body and do the needful according to the constitutional provisions of ACNPN.”
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