By Patrick Obia
The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council has refused to accept a non-media practitioner appointed as General Manager of the Nigerian Chronicle group of newspapers; the State-owned print media.
NUJ in a press statement signed by its Chairman, Nsa Gill, titled “Vicissitude of the Nigerian Chronicle Newspaper; let a seasoned journalist be General Manager,” argued that Ms. Edet Keyu appointed to head the organization has no media training or experience, hence she is not competent.
The Union laments the neglect the Chronicles is suffering as years and decades pass, recalling the good old days when the Chronicle was standing shoulders high with national dailies in vendors’ spots in Lagos and across other major cities in the country.
“The Nigerian Chronicle group of newspapers has passed through ups and downs in her glorious history that is now beleaguered.
“It is the major print media organ of the Cross River State Government. Gone are the good old days when the Nigerian Chronicle was standing shoulders high with national dailies in vendors’ spots in Lagos and across other major cities in the country.”
NUJ fears the Chronicle’s image and integrity will be questioned when the right person is not appointed as general manager; positing that it has survived due to efforts of hardworking journalists who put so much to see it still function to date.
“Today the Newspaper is limited but still survives only by the good works of Journalists who sacrifice their know-how to publish the newspaper weekly or once in two weeks.
“More so, the Newspaper corporation is short-staffed as many have retired from service.
“There is a need for editorial staff to be employed, same as the need to fill the position of a General Manager. That appointment of a General manager has not come till now. We presumed the Governor was working on an idea that would bring a new lease of life to the establishment.”
“However, indications are that some vested interests inimical to the establishment are up to some mischief. As a Union, the NUJ has been inundated with recent unpleasant developments in the state of affairs in the Newspaper Corporation, where a retired Admin staff without editorial depth is surreptitiously brought back to serve as General Manager.”
The Journalists held that Governor Otu was misinformed about appointing Ms. Edet Keyu. They, however, pray the governor to select someone in media practice, who has the editorials in-depth and as well as professionally equipped.
“Our grouse is that the person in question, Ms. Edet Keyu does not have any journalism training or experience. We suspect the Governor may have been misinformed and ill-advised to approve the appointment of a nonmedia practitioner as the GM of the Newspaper Corporation; a reputable and the one and only State print media organ.
“We stand by our pledge to support the Governor to achieve his goals and vision enwrapped in his People First governance mantra but strongly appeal that he should reconsider the purported appointment of Ms. Edet Keyu which is unacceptable to the Union. She lacks the editorial depth to be given the position of a General Manager of the tottering Chronicle Newspapers.
“We are not fronting any particular individual as we are very much aware that this is the Governor’s prerogative but rather we appeal that the position be given to a media practitioner, who is professionally equipped to defend the editorial position of the publication at all times.”
Meanwhile, controversies have trailed the appointment of Keyu Edet as the GM of the Chronicle.
The Commission of Information, Erasmus Ekpang has been fingered to engineer the appointment.
Sources from the Governor’s Office say Governor Otu is vexed about the appointment, as he never approved the appointment.
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