The General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA), Ikechukwu Onyemekara, has urged Nigerian journalists in the maritime industry to embrace developmental journalism that will positively project the sector to the international community.
Onyemekara gave this admonition when he was playing host to the three- man Caretaker committee of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) led by Tunde Ayodele, who paid him a courtesy visit at the NPA headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday.
Pointing to journalism and its ethics, which allow for balance, accuracy and facts, Onyeamakara urged Maritime Journalists to strictly adhere to the ethics of the profession, noting that nothing good was ever gained from negative reports.
He solicited for developmental reporting in the sector , especially now that Nigeria is gearing up for elections into the Category C seat at the International Maritime Organisation, (IMO).
The NPA chief image maker noted that such responsible reporting would positively project the industry in Nigeria to the outside world which he believed would garner support from global maritime nations for Nigeria’s victory.
Onyemekara explained that in other climes, Journalists do not project negative issues of their countries, no matter the situation, hence calling for similar attitude by Nigerian Journalists.
He however eulogized MARAN as the very first among the many Maritime Reporters Associations in the sector with a pedigree which has stood the test of time in the sector.
He explained that the NPA, in its position both locally and internationally, is more interested in whatever happens in the industry, hence welcoming the idea of a united body of all Journalists associations in maritime industry.
He stressed the need for developmental journalism among the maritime reporters which he said was crucial for the success of the new ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
“Maritime is a global industry and whatever the journalists write have a great impact on how the international community views our country.
“In other climes, journalists project the positive side of their maritime industry despite the fact that these countries too have the same challenges Nigeria has” the NPA image maker disclosed.
Onyemekara also pledged the NPA’s continued support for MARAN and urged the Caretaker Committee to work assiduously at ensuring that a credible set of leaders emerges after the association elections.
“The kind of leaders your elect could make or mar the good legacies of the association.
“So you must be careful and meticulous in your choice of the next leaders of the association so that the efforts of the founding leaders of MARAN would not be jeopardized” Onyemekara admonished.
In his response, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mr Tunde Ayodele, thanked his host for the warm reception and pledged the continued support of MARAN to ensure the management of the NPA succeeds in its task of repositioning the maritime industry.
“NPA has been a long standing ally of MARAN over the years and the present caretaker committee will consolidate on the friendship which exists between the two parties through responsible reporting” Ayodele declared.
He however explained that the recent reorganization in the association became necessary to reposition the foremost journalists body in the industry.
The Caretaker committee chairman further pledged that MARAN, as the flagship media association in the maritime industry, would continue to practise developmental journalism, adding that MARAN is open to mutually beneficial partnership with stakeholders, including government agencies in the industry in order to build a virile shipping sector.
Ayodele used the occasion to invite the NPA management to MARAN Book Launch which comes up on December 4th, 2025 in Lagos, a request to which Onyemekara graciously acceded, promising that the agency’s management will be adequately represented.
