The General Assembly of the International Press Institute (IPI), Nigerian Chapter, has approved a domesticated Constitution to guide its operations in the country.

The approval was given at a meeting of the IPI held, both virtually and physically, and hosted by Daily Trust Newspapers in Abuja.

IPI is a global network for senior Journalists, Publishers, seasoned Broadcasters and Communications experts, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and operates under a global constitution. However, different jurisdictions are free to adopt their respective constitutions domesticated to suit their operational  environment.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Secretary of the Institute, Mr Raheem Adedoyin, said deliberations, which began on Tuesday, in Abuja, yielded the desired result.

“The Nigerian chapter, otherwise referred to as the Nigerian National Committee, has domesticated the IPI Constitution to suit its environment.

“The IPI Nigeria constitution provides for an expansion of its current Executive committee from just the Chairman (changed to President), to now include the offices of deputy president, assistant secretary, Auditor and legal adviser.”

Other resolutions of the meeting, chaired by its President, Malam Kabiru A. Yusuf, included deployment of robust measures to enhance membership drive into the Nigerian chapter of the body, as well as approval of the criteria for such membership recruitment, Adedoyin said

“Membership of the Institute is open to persons active in the field of Journalism from reputable traditional and web news media organisations, freelancers and lecturers, researchers in schools of Journalism or Mass Communication and Communication Arts.

“Or those working in outlets that defend and support the principles of Press Freedom and Rights and the desire to co-operate to achieve the objectives of the global body of the Institute”, according to the IPI Nigeria Constitution.

Similarly, membership would be open to only persons who have spent 10 years and above in a recognised media organisation, whilst the Constitution provides for a 7-member Board of Trustees for IPI Nigeria, with members entitled to not more than two-terms of five years each.

The General Assembly will reconvene on Tuesday, 23rd March, 2021, to receive the reports of the contact/mobilisation and the property purchase ad hoc committees which were set up late last year, Adedoyin said,

In the meantime, preparations would get underway for the composition of a new executive committee, to pilot the affairs of IPI Nigeria for the next three years.

The meeting was attended by captains of the media industry, including the Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust, Naziru Mikailu Abubakar, the Director General of the National Council for Arts & Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe and the Chairman of Blueprint Newspaper, Malam Mohammed Idris.

Also, in attendance were the Managing Director of ThisDay, Mr Eniola Bello; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the Director, Digital Media, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Hajia Sani, and ThisDay Deputy Editor, Tobi Soniyi.

Others were, the General Manager, Business & Strategy of Daily Trust, Ahmed Shekarau, as well as veteran  journalists, Emma Agu and Timothy Oyedeji, among others. (NAN)