By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, FCT Council, has commended members of the Environment Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria, EMCAN, for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the association’s election, describing the emergence of a new executive as an opportunity for renewed unity, transparency, reconciliation and professional growth.
The election, conducted and supervised by the leadership of the NUJ FCT Council, brought in Joycelyn Ellakeche Adah, Head of Content Creation at _Per Second News_, as the new Chairman of EMCAN for a two-year tenure.
The transition marks a new chapter for the association following a period of interim administration. It followed efforts by the NUJ FCT Council to address concerns within the association and provide a platform for members to resolve differences and strengthen EMCAN as a professional body.
The Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, represented by the Council Secretary, Mr. Jide Oyekunle, congratulated EMCAN members for conducting themselves peacefully and responsibly throughout the process.
Oyekunle urged members to put past disagreements behind them and rebuild the association on the principles of unity, mutual respect, transparency, accountability and inclusiveness.
He stressed the need to ensure that both pioneer and newer members have a sense of belonging, and charged the new leadership to promote members’ welfare and advance environmental journalism in Nigeria.
He also commended the Electoral Committee for conducting what he described as a credible and orderly election, and urged EMCAN to deepen engagement with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, international development partners and other stakeholders to improve the reportage of environmental issues.
Declaring the results, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mr. Chidi Ugwu, announced Joycelyn Ellakeche Adah as winner of the chairmanship position with 30 votes.
Other members elected are:
-Samuel Adeyinka of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN — Secretary
– Abigael Ifelayo of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN — Treasurer
-Zeniat Abubakar of the Voice of Nigeria, VON — Welfare and Publicity Secretary
In her acceptance speech, the new EMCAN Chairman, Joycelyn Ellakeche Adah, expressed appreciation to the outgoing interim leadership and the NUJ FCT Council for providing a level playing field.
Adah appealed to pioneer trustees and all members to support the new administration as it begins the task of repositioning EMCAN and strengthening its relevance within Nigeria’s environmental journalism landscape.
She said the new executive would prioritize professional excellence, unity, members’ welfare and creating stronger opportunities for environmental journalists to contribute to national development.
Members who participated in the election also congratulated the new executives and expressed hope that the leadership would justify the confidence reposed in them.
The peaceful conclusion of the election is expected to provide EMCAN with a fresh opportunity to consolidate its professional identity and focus on promoting informed and impactful environmental journalism in Nigeria.
