The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has said that its annual conference this year will be held from November 7 to 9, 2024 in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
The professional body of editors and media executives in Nigeria, in a statement on Monday, said that 2024 edition of the All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC), will be chaired by the Chairman/Editor-In-Chief of THISDAY/Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena.
The event which will be hosted by Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, will be declared open by the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Kashim Shettima.
In the statement, signed by its President, Mr. Eze Anaba and the General Secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the editors said since the present government came on board, in May 2023, its agents had consistently insisted that the federal government has pursued audacious reforms to reconstruct macroeconomic situations it met on ground, for stability and development.
Their argument is that the petrol fiscal subsidy was moderately jettisoned, and foreign exchange reforms had led to the unification of the markets and a market-reflective exchange rate.
‘’To assuage the inflationary effects of these reforms on the most vulnerable, the government said that it had been implementing temporary cash transfers to reach 15 million households, with efforts also being made to tighten monetary policy and refocus the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on its core mandate of maintaining price stability.
“However, in spite of these efforts by the federal government and having the largest economy and population in Africa, experts say that Nigeria offers limited opportunities to most of its citizens, especially as Nigeria is ranked the 7th lowest on human capital index in the world, and weak job creation. Meanwhile, many workers and professionals are increasingly choosing to emigrate in search of better opportunities”, the NGE added.
“On the media sustainability, there is a growing view that media stakeholders should come out with mechanisms to support sustainability in the media industry – for individual publishers and the sector as a whole, by ensuring they receive fair compensation for the use of their intellectual property and content.
“The argument is that mechanisms should adjust to evolving market conditions and boost the likelihood that publishers can build diverse revenue streams.”
The editors explained further that it is within the context that this year’s ANEC will focus on strategies and policies aimed at addressing the challenges of the nation’s economy and the media space.
It said that key experts, actors and players – from different sectors: energy, security, money/capital market, regulatory agencies, Big Tech, media and others, have been invited to start conversation on the best possible way out of the challenges.
The former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba and the Founder/Publisher of Vanguard Media Group, Uncle Sam Amuka, will be the Fathers of the Day.
