Minister Washes Hands-off Proposed Merger Of Maritime Journalists’ Association

Minister of Transportation; Mr Rotimi Amaechi has finally washed his hands off the proposed merger of maritime journalists’ associations in Nigeria. The new association is to be known as Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON).
The minister, who had mounted pressure on the three dominant associations to come under one umbrella, changed his mind following difficulties that the proposal is facing among the concerned bodies; namely: Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), League of Maritime Editors and the Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON).
Apparently advised to drop the idea of instigating the merger, Amaechi told some journalists at a last Monday’s maritime stakeholders’ conference that he was no longer interested in the merger.
Confirming the Minister’s comments to one of our correspondents in Lagos over the weekend, the President of League of Maritime Editors; Mr Ovie Edomi stated that he and some journalists had cornered the Minister at the event and he pointedly expressed his loss of interests in the merger.
‘’You can quote me, he told me and those who were there that he had washed his hand off it, her didn’t give any reason’’, Ovie said.
Mr Ovie’s statement was further corroborated by two other journalists who were at the brief encounter.
One of them stated pointedly: “The minister’s exact words were – I have washed my hands off it (the merger) since you people are not interested”.
Prior to the minister’s volte-face, two of the associations that were expected to merge had pulled out of the arrangement. They are: MARAN and the League of Maritime Editors.
While MARAN predicated its decision not to merge on its time-tested tradition and credibility, the League of Editors accused a certain association of being too ambitious and wanting to hijack the process to its own selfish interest.
“We cherish the sanctity of the long tradition of excellence which MARAN has come to be identified with over the years and we don’t intend to filter these gains away under any guise,” MARAN had stated.
Similarly, the League of Editors was reportedly shocked at the turn of events and the alleged emergence of all manners of people claiming to be maritime journalists and who wanted to be members of the amalgamated association.
However, notwithstanding the Minister’s decision, president of MARCO; Mr Ismail Aniemu told our correspondent that elections of executives of AMJON would hold on Thursday May 26, 2016 in Lagos.