The Abia State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu has tasked Abia Newspaper and Publishing Corporation (ANPC) Staff to reciprocate government’s good gestures by being dedicated to their duties and ensure a positive return on all the investment, the present administration is making in their office.
The Commissioner gave the charge during a familiarization tour he paid to the Corporation’s headquarters recently. Prince Kanu who expressed happiness at the present condition of the office, said that at the inception of the present administration and on his first visit to the Corporation, the working condition of the office was appalling and nothing to write home about but that today the conditions have changed dramatically for good. He urged the staff to reciprocate the governor’s gesture who have provided them with a well-furnished befitting new office complex. He asserted further that the Present administration under the able leadership of His Excellency Dr. Alex Otti is determined to ensure that the State owned Newspaper House regains its lost glory, competes favourably with their counterparts across the country and takes its rightful place amongst newspaper houses in the country. The Information boss reminded the staff that to whom much is given, much is equally expected, as such they are expected to bring great value to the table to justify the current investment the government is making in the Corporation.
L-R: Hon. Jones Ike, General Manager, Abia State Newspapers and Publishing Cooperation, Hon. Commissioner for Information and Culture, Abia State, Prince Okey Kanu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Culture, Sir Chris Onwuegbu and Director of Administration, Ministry of Information & Culture, Hellen Okparaocha, during the Hon. Commissioner’s visit to State Headquarters of Abia Newspapers in Umuahia.
The Commissioner, who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Sir Chris Onwuegbu, Directors of Information and Administration from the Ministry, stated that he is already discussing with the Governor on the possibility of providing a modern printing press to the Corporation in order to ease their production difficulties as well as enhance their profitability. The Commissioner equally promised to solve the energy problem of the Corporation by liaising with the Commissioner for Power in other to connect the office to the public power supply system.
Prince Kanu further advised the staff to be hardworking, shun absenteeism, and expose ghost workers and assured that things will only get better as salary payments are now regular unlike before.
Hon. Commissioner for Information and Culture, Abia State (Right) in a chat with the General Manager, Abia State Newspapers and Publishing Cooperation, Hon. Jones Ike, during the Commissioner’s visit to ANPC’s Headquarters, Umuahia.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the General Manager of ANPC, Hon Jones Nnanna Ike appreciated the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, on the remarkable transformations that is taking place in the state, particularly in the Abia Newspapers and Publishing Corporation. He particularly thanked the Governor for providing a benefitting Office building for ANPC where meaningful intellectual works now go on unhindered.
Hon Ike recalled that when he assumed office as the General Manager of the Corporation, he met a depressed working environment characterized by dilapidated office building, leaking roofs, broken down furniture and staff whose morale were at the lowest ebb as a result of irregular salary payment and poor working environment. Speaking further, he said that with the intervention of Gov. Otti, all these are now in the past as the Corporation can now boast of a brand new office equipped with modern office facilities and regular payments of staff salaries. He noted that previous administrations since 1999 did not invest in the Newspaper House after it was established in 1992 as a National Newspaper, He said the Corporation did very well in the 1990s to the extent that at a certain period before 1999, it was adjudged as the best state managed Newspaper Corporation in Nigeria.
A cross section of the Staff of Abia Newspapers & Publishing Cooperation (ANPC), during the Hon. Commissioner’s visit to ANPC’s State Headquarters, Umuahia.
The General Manager used the occasion to recall some of the achievements of his management since his assumption of office to include, the revitalization of the Weekly National Ambassador Newspaper that is now published regularly and available on the news stand as well as the addition of the monthly National Ambassador Magazine Special Edition .Others according to him included the strengthening and expanding the digital platforms which are now fully established and which has also ensured the uninterrupted flow of their stories and reports into the social media space as well as the regular appearance of the National Ambassador Publications in Online Platforms that includes goggle, Facebook, twitter etc. Hon Ike also mentioned improvements in their reach and circulation figures using both orthodox and digital platforms. On Staff matters the General Manager said his management has continued to be in the vanguard of encouraging diligent staff while also ensuring that indiscipline, absenteeism, truancy are discouraged and sanctioned.
He said that he reported the issue of ghost workers and looting of government’s property in the premise to the Ministry Information and the Judicial Panel of Inquiry On the Recovery of Government Funds and Assets, set up by the state government. He also said he has involved the services of the Abia state Vigilante services to solve the perennial problem of theft and vandalizations in the office complex especially at night.
A cross section of the Staff of Abia Newspapers & Publishing Cooperation (ANPC), during the Hon. Commissioner’s visit to ANPC’s State Headquarters, Umuahia.
The Permanent Secretary, Sir Chris Onwuegbu on his own part, expressed happiness at the turn out of events in ANPC under the present Gov Otti led administration in the State. He described the visit as a sort of ‘ home coming ‘ for him as he started his career from there. He urged the staff to be serious with their work, learn on the job, contribute to the development of the office and ensure that ANPC remains a growing concern.
In a vote of thanks, the News Editor, ANPC, Mr. John Okeke appreciated the Commissioner and his team for the visit and pledged the commitment of the staff members to the realization of the Corporation’s mandate.
The Management staff of the Corporation in all the departments turned out in large numbers to welcome the Commissioner and his team during the meeting.
The Information Boss and his entourage were later taken on a familiarization tour around the premises.
