By Daniel Dauda, Jos


Plateau Publishers Association (PPA),has slated April 28th, 2019 for elections and swearing in of new executive members that would spearhead activities of the association, seeking for government and private partnership for effective reportage.

The manifesto night comes 27th April,2019, a day before the election.

You would recall,a five-man interim EXCO was constituted to run the affairs of the association in three months with a mandate to among other things conduct elections for the new association, following the intervention of Stakeholders that reached amicable settlement on feud among members of the association.

Briefing journalists in Jos, the interim chairman of PPA, Joseph Adudu said "the absence of a functional Association to harness the numerous publishing outfits in the state had over the years given rise to setbacks and limiting Publishers of the government's needed partnership and support to the industry.

"Equally worrisome, was the failure of past efforts and attempts by all the functional associations that existed for almost seven years to find a common front resulting rather to acrimony, abuse and mediocrity in its operational activities.

"A development that attracted the concern and intervention of very important personalities including traditional rulers and leaders of thought in the state but that did not also yield any positive result."Adudu mentioned.

He further stated " it is perhaps, for this reason and hindsight that the Director-General, Industrial Training Find(ITF), Sir Joseph Ari(KSM) sought to meet and have audience with all independent Publishers on the Plateau in his office sometime in February 5th, 2019, to forge a way forward in an amicable resolution.

"However, as God wanted it to be, Air's intervention brought about the collective agreement of the different factions of all the Publishers(Newspapers/ magazines) in the state to form a new body." He added.

The interim EXCO members also said have put together a draft Constitution, a guideline for elections, illegibility, and the qualifications for Publishers-membership have all been provided and made available at the Secretariat.

The association assured government and private entity of a new publishing experience in the state, thanking all Publishers on the Plateau for shielding their swords to form a united front,they pledged a level playing ground for all legible contestants through a free, fair and credible election.