Veteran Journalists’ League Independent of Ministry, Waiya Affirms
By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
KANO – The Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, has clarified that the Kano League of Veteran Journalists (KALVEJ) is an independent professional body and not an appendage of the State Ministry of Information.
Speaking during the ratification and adoption of the League’s Charter, which has now become its Constitution, the Commissioner explained that although the Ministry supports and relates with the League, such engagement is strictly on a professional basis.
He emphasized the importance of preserving the independence of professional bodies to enable them operate effectively and in line with global best practices, noting that the Ministry maintains similar professional relationships with bodies such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), and other related professional organizations.
The Constitution was ratified and adopted at the Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, during a session attended by members of the League drawn from various segments of the journalism profession, including academics.
The session featured extensive discussions, comments, observations, and detailed scrutiny of the draft document by members. Key observations raised included the absence of clear provisions on members’ welfare, gender representation, and sustainable funding mechanisms for the League.
Following exhaustive deliberations, members resolved that all issues raised during the session be forwarded to the Constitution Drafting Committee and Secretariat for further consideration and necessary amendments.
At the end of the session, a motion was moved and unanimously adopted mandating the Constitution Drafting Committee to continue managing the affairs of the League for a period of one year, pending the conduct of elections for substantive executives.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Ahmed Aminu, expressed gratitude to members for the confidence reposed in the committee. He assured the gathering that all concerns raised, particularly those relating to the welfare of members, would be adequately addressed in the revised Constitution.