The Nigerian Guild of Editors, (NGE), has called on President Bola Tinubu to put mechanisms in place to save the media industry from distress.
President of the Guild, Eze Anaba, stated this yesterday, in his opening address at the All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) with the theme: “Democracy, Governance and National Cohesion: The Role of Editors”, held at the State House Conference Hall, Abuja.
He urged the President to come to the aid of the media industry to ensure its survival and enable it to effectively perform its functions.
Anaba, while noting that the media must survive as a business to play its role in protecting democracy, called for “legislative and executive support to make the media work viable”.
He disclosed that with newsprint now costing about ₦1.5 million per tonne, the prohibitive expense is unsustainable. He appealed to the President to, among other measures, “introduce corporate tax relief for between five and ten years, as well as VAT exemption for media houses, as is done in countries like India and Canada”.
According to him, only a thriving media industry can help sustain democracy
He also called for grants to support the digital transformation of the media industry and for a review of laws that inhibit media freedom.
Present at the event are the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III; Governors Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Usman Ododo of Kogi State.
Also in attendance are Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President; Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation; and other media leaders. Other dignitaries include the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, and the Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Sunday Dare.
