BY MONDAY UWAGWU
AT 31 today today, The Pointer, in spite of its teething and current challenges, has come a long, long way, to become the undisputed leader in Nigeria’ s public print media space.
How, did anyone ask?
Well, I leave that for now.
I would like to give a brief insight into the history of the establishment in order to lay the backdrop for the proper understanding of its current state.
The Delta Printing and Publishing Corporation (DPPC) was established in 1994 via Edict No 9 of that year and its debut edition hit the newsstands on October 28, 1994.
It has since evolved from a weekly, bi- weekly to a daily.
At inception, the bulk of its staff members were those drawn from The Observer, Benin, who had to be recalled to Asaba by the state government after they were locked out by their colleagues of Edo State origin in the establishment ( The Observer).
The lockout, which happened on August 7, 1994, while the Military Administrators of both states were meeting in Asaba to iron out their differences following the virtual ceding of almost all of the assets of the defunct Bendel State, (from which both states were created on August 1, 1991), to Edo State, marked the effective end to the partnership between the governments of both states with regard to the running of The Observer.
Since its establishment, The Pointer has graduated from a weekly to a bi-weekly and then to a full fledge daily with reckonable presence in Delta, Edo, Anambra and, to an extent, Abuja.
Despite its impressive growth and development (which has made it the best state – owned newspaper in the country in terms of frequency at newsstands, aesthetics and content quality), it is still contending with myriad issues, some mysteriously needless.
Given its present situation, The Pointer requires the injection of funds, manpower and operational and logistic equipment to reflate and reestablish its fame for grassroots relevance, without losing touch with the necessity for enhanced competitiveness in the emerging larger regional and national markets.
In my humble view, the major requirements of the organisation can be summed under the following major headings:
MANPOWER NEEDS
The Pointer, headquartered at its TEMPORARY (emphasis mine) corporate office –the office of the defunct Social Democratic Party(SDP) on 278, Nnebisi Road, Asaba-runs three separate editions; daily, Saturday and Sunday.
At peak, it had 323 staff, out of which 111 were in the critical Editorial Department.
The others (212) were in the other units and departments of Production, Circulation (which was then a full department); Legal Unit; Marketing (advert and sales), Accounts, Administration and Works. This enabled the organization to have a significant editorial and commercial foothold in all of Delta State, Lagos, Kaduna, Abuja, Ibadan, Benin, Enugu, Awka, Onitsha, Auchi, Yenagoa, etc.
Following the transfer of service (more than 60 persons opted out on account of this factor alone), retirements and deaths, the workforce of the newspaper group has shrunk to far less than its peak-period strength. This is inspite of the effort of the immediate past administration, which, in its swan days, approved the regularization of 43 ad hoc personnel, some of who had put in more than a decade each of near slave labour, just to sustain the operations of the organization, into, which the last regular recruitment of staff was way back in 2008.
Imagine!
However, the action of the past administration regarding the regularization of staff, as noble and well received as it remains, is really a drop in the ocean, regarding the felt manpower needs required to make the organization better able to compete.
In fact, I am aware that the prayer of the management of the organisation and its parent ministry to the previous administration was actually in two layers-the regularization of the 43 existing frontline ad hoc staff, and the approval for the recruitment of 32 others (mainly in editorial and commercial) to man strategic towns across the country, including Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Enugu, Benin, Auchi, etc, and even important towns in the state, including local government area headquarters.
It is ‘amazing’ that the state newspaper does not have its own personnel in all local government areas of the state . This situation, to our mind, is far from ideal.
In fact, in order to ensure the effective coverage of the state-especially the local government area headquarters-the Ministry of Information, under the watch of the Commissioner( in his first coming) ingeniously directed field information officers to file in reports to The Pointer, to help mitigate the effects of the severe manpower shortage that has made the newspaper group unable to create and run operational offices in 19 of the 25 local government areas of the state.
But the combined effects of the creative efforts of the ministry and the regularization of the 43 ad hoc personnel( for which emolument s the management were committing more than N1m of its internally generated revenue monthly over the past years), well intended as they bot h remain, only scratched the surface of the organisation’s manpower challenge. In fact, I am aware that even after the regularization, the management, in order to keep the organization afloat at the minimal manpower benchmark, still retained responsibility for some freelancers that were not absorbed in the regularization exercise, just to keep the establishment afloat.
Given the subsistence of the scenario of inadequate man power, especially in the departments of Editorial and Commercial, there remains the critical imperative to seek the magnanimous approval of the state government for the recruitment of more personnel required to enable the establishment meet the minimal benchmark for worthwhile presence in a highly competitive industry.
I hope that my simple prayer in this regard deserves an urgent positive response by the current administration, which has demonstrated uncommon capacity for doing the needful.
MODERN PRINTING PRESS
Perhaps, nothing tells the intriguing story of The Pointer newspaper group and draws down its poor state than the fact of its lack of a modern printing press and a developed permanent site. The still mysterious inability of the state government to provide a viable modern press for the organization, 31 Gregorian years after it was established, has not only denied it the opportunity to harness the commercial opportunities inherent in owning and operating its own press, but has compelled it to depend, quite unfortunately, on a market competitor-Vanguard Press-for the printing of its editions.
This has many avoidable costs.
Aside of the huge negative psychological and other effects of this scenario persisting for these many years, it has disabled The Pointer management from having absolute control of its entire production processes.
Imagine that there is a news of earth,- shaking importance which breaks as the sharks bring to roll at the Vanguard, can the Editor – In Chief and other editors compel the management of the press that is outside of their control, to halt production, in order to insert the all- important story?
What happens, for instance, in a situation where the Vanguard shuts its machine , as it does once every December,( I think it is for the December 26th edition or so), and The Pointer is unable to be on the newsstand because its printer shut the door against it for no fault of hers( The Pointer)? Who pays The Pointer for the loss for the day?
This is just one factor for the government to strive to end the outsourcing of the printing of The Pointer .
The necessity to end this trend is equally underpinned by persisting doubts about the economic wisdom in paying huge bills to a strident competitor, Vanguard, to mint The Pointer titles, in relation to the procurement of a viable press for the organisation. The fact that this trend has been ongoing for decades makes it more intriguing.
DEVELOPMENT OF A PERMANENT SITE FOR THE ORGANISATION
As is all too evident, the organization has, as of now, no permanent site of its own; this implies that it will, for as long as the situation remains, be consigned to its temporary site on 278, Nnebisi Road, Asaba, which used to be the operational secretariat of the defunct SDP of the Babangida era. The present situation –of lack of a permanent site-evolved after the original site designated for the organisation was taken over by the past administration which could not fulfill its pledge of providing an alternative parcel of land for the group before it ran full cycle on its second and last term of office.
To make issues more complicated, the temporary site of the organization appears to be slipping off the hands of the organization following its sale by the Federal Government to a private buyer who has also reportedly sold it to a subsequent buyer that seeks to have prompt possession.
All documentations relating to this awry development are with the state ministries of Information and Justice, both of which are acting on behalf of the state government on the matter.
However, while the government and the buyer(s) of the property engage, it is imperative that prompt action be taken by the administration to provide and develop a befitting permanent site for the organization. This is not asking for too much. It is necessary because not only is the temporary site inadequate to fully accommodate a modern newspaper house, but also because a developed site would be a definite statement by the government as to the value it places on the establishment that has stridently served the interest of successive state governments.
There is also the element of the huge psychological relief it would give workers and other stakeholders in The Pointer matter, given that its sister establishments in Warri and Asaba long had their permanents sites fully developed by the state government.
The Pointer deserves the kind of development attention that the DBS Asaba and Warri have deservedly been given, regarding the issue of a fully developed and operationalised permanent site .
The permanent site, fully developed, would house the modern commercial press and related facilities as well as offices for the workforce, particularly the echelon.
The idea being floated that one set of machine could serve both the operational needs of the organization and other printing needs of the state government , being predicated on the principle of cost- efficiency, is good, in fact, great.
But the idea that the machine would be domiciled at the Ministry of Information , rather than the permanent site of The Pointer ( which, by every ounce of objective assessment has greater need for it) beats me hollow.
What happens, as it often does, that there is a late night news break for which provision must be made in the next day’ s edition?
This is one of the vital questions that require careful attention before an avoidable error of judgment creeps in.
NEW OPERATIONAL VEHICLES FOR GM, OTHER OFFICERS
It is befuddling, to say the least, that the organization has no serviceable vehicles for both the board Chairman, the General Manager( who should mandatorily have one as part of his official entitlements), the Editor-In-Chief, Deputy General Managers and Heads of Department, as well as for circulation and newsroom operations. Even the immediate past General Mangers – substantive and others -are yet to be given official cars, years after they were appointed, served and retired:
The same situation is affecting the mother state media stations – DBS, Asaba, and DBS, Warri.
Is the state government so insolvent that it cannot adequately fund its media houses which market it?
There is an urgent need for the leaders of the state to correct the errors of judgment of past leaders of the state with regard to the funding of its media houses.
The media, in spite of the economic benefit that their operations sometimes yield, are essentially social enlightenment organizations created to attain the dream goal- projecting the interest of their owners- private it public. For the private investor, the goals may be economic or political, but for the government the intent and desire are largely to create enlightenment, goodwill and the critical factor of buy in. This is because of the huge positive influence of the media in shaping public opinion and perception.
By their nature, they are capital -intensive and their benefits are not just quantifiable in the strictly economic sense alone, but in the huge capital of support and goodwill they help create and nurse for the benefit of those behind them, in the case if The Pointer, the state government.
This is the real reason that, in spite of their much touted commitment to capitalism and financial cost-efficiency, Western countries heavily subsidize the operations of their public media. The British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, the Voice of America, Radio Canada, Radio France International and France 24, Deutsche Welle (Voice of Germany, Al – Jazeera( for the Qatari Government to counter the Anti- Arab and Anti- Palestinian propaganda of the Western Media on the Israeli / Palestinian question), Radio Moscow ( Russia) , Radio South Africa, Voice of Nigeria, etc, are all great contemporary examples of how owner governments, including those with powerful economic and military power, adequately fund their media to tell their stories.
It may appear common place ,but the ageless saying that the pen is mightier than the sword, bears out the truism of the realm power of the mass media.
The state government, which, in.my personal view , is trying its best to advance the tempo and quality of the development of the state by committing hundreds of billions of naira to legacy projects should, and can, do well to put a reckonable fraction of the state ‘s resources into improving the welfare of its media houses . Neither the BBC, NTA, CNN, AIT, nor Channels TV,etc, can tell the impressive Delta story better than well -armed DBS,DRTV and The Pointer.
Get me clear on this: there is no harm in patronizing other media: they are a part of the mix.
However, consistently quality patronage and generic support attention should first target the state media.
Maybe I will give a personal experience to draw down my submission here.
During the general elections of the defunct Social Democratic Party( SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC), in a neighbouring state ( I won’t mention that but I was the Government House Benin Correspondent of the state- owned newspaper then) it was alleged that , against the spirit of the law, a certain powerful traditional Chief, at dawn on the governorship election, made an illicit campaign broadcast on the state government radio station in which he wanted his tribesmen against voting for a particular candidate that he labelled- rightly or wrongly- as an enemy of the kingdom and the palace of the King.
After the poll results came out and the derided candidate and his party lost, they reached for the court, claiming that the victory of their opponent was the direct and natural fallout of the last minute negative campaign against them.
During the trial, the judge gave a mountainful of orders for the tape if the broadcast to be tendered as exhibit .
But you know what?
The management of the radio station repeatedly told the court and the judge that they could not longer find the master tape which was required to be tendered.
In the long run, without the benefit of the tape, the court ruled that the alleged illegal broadcast could not be proved, how much more its influence on the poll outcome as claimed by the litigant candidate and his party.
And that was it!
The lesson? Loyalty…The management of the station distracted loyalty at the risk of being charged with contempt.
That is what state media can do for their government and its officials….it was never, many suspect, that the tape was ever missing.
When a push comes to a shove, state media rally in support of their own.
After all, charity begins at home.
The procurement of the official and operational vehicles for the media houses will not only motivate staff, but also enable them, The Pointer particularly, to enhance efficiency, exponentially increase its operational base, geographically speaking, and hedge up its market share and overall competitiveness.
OTHER OPERATIONAL KITS AND OTHERS
Closely correlated to the provision of official and operational vehicles for the establishment, is equally the abiding necessity to enable it with the right quantity of the appropriate mix of operational kits and equipment.
For instance, in order to respond to the import of its huge volume energy needs, the establishment requires at least one new 200KVA generator to replace the disused 200kva and 300kva units that have for long been out of use.
The 200kva generator will augment the few operational units of 6kva generators that it currently uses for its operations. A good mix of airconditioners, fire-proof file cabinets, cupboard shelves, laminating machines, office chairs and tables, a tools box, centre spread ladders, ceiling fans, television sets, fridges, computers (desktop and laptops), cupboards, photocopiers, printers, wifi, high definition photo cameras, etc, are equally needed for the operational efficiency of the establishment.
LINK TO IPP PROJECT
Having regard to its huge energy consumption nature, there is a compelling need to urgently link the organization to the existing state government’s Independent Power Project (IPP), in respect of which the management had long written the state government, which has, in response, erected the preliminary structure for the process, but had yet to effect the required hook up.
The prompt linkage to the IPP would enable the company conserve the huge fund it commits to the payment of power bill to BEDC per month,( aside from the huge cost of powering its own power packs ( generators), enhance its control of its production processes and, by ensuring steady power supply, save its equipment and kits from the vagaries of constant power shutdowns that impair the efficiency and life span of the operational equipment and tools and kits.
STAFF TRAINING
Just as in every other establishment-public and private-members of staff of The Pointer require and deserve, frequent formal trainings to enhance their competency and the overall competitiveness of their titles in the open market.
The training programme s should be regular and involve industry-based trainers who would impact the trainees with the latest industry requirements. Such trainings should cut across all strata and should hold at least once annual ly. The last formal training programme organized by the government through the Ministry of Information, held more than 20 years ago. This does not augur well for an organization in a competitive environment.
For effect, adequate budgetary provision should be made for all state media houses, which have competent but poorly motivated workers. There is the necessity for the government to match budgetary provisions with actual releases.
REVIEW OF EXISTING POLICY ON ORGANISATION’S BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION
The existing curious policy by which the supervisory ministry runs/implements the budgets of state media houses does not sit well with the grain of industry practice, and irrespective of the honesty of the underlying motive, it should be reviewed to enable the boards and managements of the establishments, including The Pointer, assume full responsibility in that regard and be held accountable.
This is my personal opinion , based on my industry experience both at The Observer and The Pointer, and my correlate knowledge of what obtains generally in the j industry.
These organizations have competent managers who can hold their own ,on an even keel, in any environment.
SPECIAL OPERATIONAL GRANT
Outside of the regular budgetary provisions, there is the need for the government to provide a special intervention and operational grant to enable The Pointer ( and its sister stations in Asaba and Warri) reflate and enhance its competiveness as Nigeria’s leading government –owned newspaper. This grant will cushion the funding gap arising from the yawn in the formal budgetary provisions and what, in real terms, is required to keep The Pointer away from its present shoe-string funding level.
ENHANCED BUDGETARY FUNDING AND PATRONAGE BY THE GOVERNMENT
Given the overall strategic place of effective two-way communication between the government and the public-a vital responsibility of the mass media (in this situation, state media houses, including The Pointer), it is imperative that the current tempo of funding of state media houses, especially The Pointer, should be significantly enhanced to reflect current realities and the desire of the government to effectively reach out more regularly to the public.
The enhanced funding should be augmented with a strident policy compelling public institutions, agencies and establishments to make The Pointer a mandatory first port of call for all their print media engagements, especially advertisements.
It is good that, by a special arrangement, all Local Governments in the state now buy copies of The Pointer, but the situation where advertisement preference is accorded so-called national media, in relation to the more grassroot-inclined state media organs, needs to be reviewed and effectively reversed to serve the state at both ends- the grassroots and at the national level.
Each newspaper has its advantage others, be they national, regional or even the grassroots ones that people deride as local rags.
Knowledge of this fact should guide public sector actions in terms of patronage .
Besides, there is no magic that national media( however defined) are doing that state media, placed on the same keel , cannot do as well. The difference between the BBC reporter and the reporter in The Pointer or any of the other state media house, on objective assessment, is more likely to do with the level of motivation, rather than differences in their levels of innate competence .
We must wake up to this reality.
REVIEW OF THE STATUS OF HEADS OF STATE MEDIA ORGANS
Since its emergence in the formal society, and particularly after the American Civil War, the overall place of the mass media of communication has always been well established in reality. This is the reason that, perhaps, for want of another nomenclature, they are officially called the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
Like their private sector counterparts, public mass media are an important channel for the dissemination of information and news of public importance via their channels.
This is true of others as it is true of media houses owned by the Delta Sate Government -The Pointer, DBS, Asaba and DBS, Warri.
In recognition of the overall importance of the media houses , their heads, by the designation of General Managers, should be placed on the consolidated salary scale to enable them earn their pay for life, like their colleagues in the state sports commission and other establishments who are Directors-General. It is instructive to state here that a similar decision in the past enabled the Delta State Government of those days to appoint deserving members of staff of the Post-Primary Education Board (PPEB), and even the former Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) as Permanent Secretaries. A benevolent decision by the government in this regard will give a greater sense of belonging to the establishments and help rekindle their fire of professional devotion.
Relatedly in Edo, (our sister state, given our inter-twined history), an enviable example has been set in this regard with the appointment of then General Manager of The Observer, Mr. Solomon Imohionsen, as Permanent Secretary. Delta, Nigeria’s champion state, reputed for its pro-labour inclination, can follow in a similar step without ruffling any feathers.
Conclusion
All of the needs itemized above , in my most humble opinion, constitute the bulk of what The Pointer requires to operate at a level that would enable it fully regain virility, enhance its relevance and hedge up its competitiveness in the increasingly competitive market (both in terms of hard copies and online where it is showing great promise)
For obvious reasons, they cannot all be met in one fell swoop; therefore, it is imperative to prioritise for the imperative of action in the short (immediate) and medium terms.
Get me loud and clear, my submissions in this piece are my personal opinion on the issues canvassed , and come from a most open heart and mind.
My sincere prayers is that the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori , who has shown a knack for uncommon street wisdom and the courage of the tropical lion, ( working together with the amazing Commissioner Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu , who has never ceased to impress with his outstanding performance) will break the jinx that has held The Pointed at its decrepit temporary site after 31 years, allocate and develop a permanent site for it and create a sustainable ambience for The Pointer ,( and its other media houses) to sustainably excel.
As for the members of staff of The Pointer, I doff my hat , in tribute, to them all for their demonstrated capacity to keep it alive and kicking.
I come in peace, and I call on both God and Mother Nature to bear witness to my clear disposition.
