Editors’ conference discusses ways out of dependence on oil

Economic experts, ministers, governors and top businessmen are billed to come up with viable suggestions on how the nation can be weaned from its age-long dependence on crude oil as the major source of its income when editors storm Asaba, the Delta State capital, from August 21 to 24, 2013 for their 9th All Nigerian Editors Conference.
The theme of the four-day conference, which will be chaired by renowned veteran journalist and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba, is: “Nigeria Beyond Oil: Role of the Editor”.
Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is expected to set the tone of the conference in a keynote address.
Ministers listed to speak on key issues that are germane to the diversification of the economy are those of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who will speak on “The Value Chain Roadmap’’; and Edem Duke,Tourism, on “Oil Exhaustible, Tourism Inexhaustible”.
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank; and Prof. Sylvester Monye, Special Adviser to the President on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, will deliver papers on “Financial Institutions In a Non-Oil Economy’’ and ‘’Opportunities in Non-Oil Nigeria’’ respectively.
Moderators at the high-wire event include top-notch Nigerians such as the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Eugene Juwah; and Onyema Ugochukwu, a former Editor of the Daily Times and former governorship candidate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State.
The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, will be the Special Guest while Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who is also a Special Guest of Honour, will make remarks at the conference.
Apart from the host governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who will deliver the welcome address, other state governors from the northern and southern parts of the country will be on hand to offer their views on the path the nation should tread in order to shed its prolonged dependence on oil.
Cognisant of the fact that retirement is inevitable after a successful career as a journalist/editor, the Guild has set aside the last day of the conference for the expected 300 editors to brainstorm on: “Life After The Chair: The Editors’ Colloquium’’.
The session to be facilitated by Kabiru Yusuf, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Daily Trust, and chaired by Mr Ted Iwere, another notable journalist.
There will also be an investiture of new fellows and induction of new members of the Guild at a Gala Night to be organized by the Delta State Government at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, to round off the event.