The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) is set to launch the Nigerian Editors Trust Fund to address the professional/welfare needs of media houses and editors in Nigeria in line with the resolution of the All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) recently held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
At the Uyo meeting, publishers, media executives, and editors stressed the urgent need by the Guild to initiate a strategic move that will focus on the professional/welfare needs of media houses and editors in Nigeria – as part of several efforts to help them to continue to discharge their constitutional and social responsibility to the society without necessarily compromising ethical standards.
However, in a statement issued yesterday by the president of the NGE, Mr Eze Anaba, and the general secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional body of editors and media executives stated that the initiative is a response to the increasing professional/welfare challenges faced by the highest echelons of Nigerian journalists in performing their duties.
‘’The trust fund, which is expected to be launched in the first quarters of 2024, will also address the daunting economic challenges that media executives and editors are faced with during and after office. The fund will benefit the Guild’s members in the print, electronic and online media.
“The trust fund will be a collaborative effort among all the stakeholders in the media sector, including the public sector – aimed at addressing key challenges that affect the professionals, who are the ultimate gatekeepers in their media organisations,’’ the Guild said.
The Guild, at its annual conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State recently, set up a committee headed by its vice-president (East), Sheddy Ozoene, to liaise with media stakeholders and coordinate the launch of the outfit in the first quarter of next year.
The statement said the trust fund will create the much-desired impact in the journalism profession in the country as the editors and media executives will be exposed to empowerment programmes and innovations in the media industry, retraining, and networking opportunities with colleagues from around the world.
