Anambra New commissioner gives hope to ANPC

STAFFERS of Anambra Newspaper and Printing Corporation (ANPC),  played host to the newly
appointed Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Mary Obianuju Nwogu and her entourage when she paid a familiarization visit to the corporation.

  Dr Nwogu who was received by the Managing Director, and Editor-in-Chief, Sir Chuka Nnabuife, was conducted round the corporations premises. The first stop was the printing section, where she was shown the printer used for the printing of National Light Newspaper where Sir Chuka highlighted that before he came on board, the corporation go to commercial printers to print the National Light Newspaper. He explained how the machine operates, adding that the corporation could do with a better machine.
  At the commercial section, Dr Nwogu was shown some dilapidated and out dated machines used for printing, with the Managing Director adding that only one of the machines could be renovated. At the commercial section, the Managing Director  after the Honourable Commissioner had queried about some dilapidated vehicles, explained that some of the cars were used by the corporation when it was under the old Anambra State, while others were parked there because they had developed serious faults.
  The MD went further to show rims of newsprint purchased by the corporation to the Commissioner, adding that the Corporation was able to raise funds for the newsprint through the special edition publication of National Light Newspaper published to commemorate Governor Willie Obiano’s one year in office.
  The commissioner and members of her visiting team which included: the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Comrade Leo Imoka, and the Director of Information,  Mr. Emeka Ohuoha were led to the graphics unit, where Sir Chuka  be moaned the state of some of the computers being used, adding that they slow down the pace of work. He also added that the unit is quite small and not well ventilated which affects workers output and condition of the computers.
  “Ordinarily, we are supposed to have one air conditioner to one computer. That is what it should be, but you can see we don't even have any here”, he concluded.
  At the Accounts department. Here the Managing Director explained that accounting is still done manually, which does not count for efficiency, stating that the department needs to be computerized.
  At the  editorial department, the team were met with  dilapidated tables and chairs, some of which had been in use, when the corporation was in the old Anambra State. Moreso, available furniture are insufficient compared to the number of staff at the editorial department.
  At the library, Dr. Nwogu affirmed that there really isn’t  much items on the shelves, except old newspapers, which the MD explained are kept for reference purposes, as members of the  public come to the corporation, seeking old edition of  newspapers. He added also that  the editorial department needs computers, cameras, tape recorders and  a cable connected television, so that staff at the editorial department,  will be abreast of issues happening in  the society.
  At the lithographic unit, Sir Chuka explained the functions of the lithographic machine, adding that modern day printing does not require the type of lithographic machines being used by the corporation. He stated that most of the  lithographic machines being used by the lithographic machines in the unit are faulty, and cannot be repaired because they have gone obsolete.
 Dr. Nwogu and members of her team were finally led to the Rotary Hall, were staff had gathered to hear her address.
  The Managing Director at this juncture made a call for the  Rotary Hall to be  renovated, adding that if this is done, I t could be let out to members of the public, who may want to use it for their wedding reception and other functions, thereby becoming a source of revenue generator for the corporation.
  According to Sir Chuka “We are happy to have you in our  midst, we have had several men occupy the information ministry, and now as a woman, a mother and an administrator, we know you would strive to meet our needs”,
  Dr. Nwogu while addressing the staff, thanked Sir Chuka for his efforts in running the Corporation with limited funds, adding that she has heard the several appeals made by him. She further assured that  she will present the case  of the Corporation to the governor, Chief Willie Obiano. She added that while in office, she will strive to make the paper a daily publication, as against the weekly that the paper is currently being published, stating that she will make sure more equipment are  provided as  a standard newspaper is published daily.
   She commended members of staff for their diligence even while working in unfavourable conditions and cautioned lazy staff to live up their duties, asserting that “anybody who receives salary without working is only stealing from the government”.
  She however, promised to visit the Corporation from time to time.
  On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Comrade Imoka said a  memo has been written for the purchase of a new Kord machine for printing, and also another memo for the payment of gratuities to retired staff of the Corporation, which will take about N167m.
  He stated that payment of these gratuities will be done in batches, given the   number of persons to be settled. He added that he has suggested that the Corporation’s Subvention be  increased and promised to follow it up, adding also that more machines will be provided for the Corporation.
  In a vote of thanks, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Mr Nnamdi Chukwujindu appealed to the Commissioner to double her efforts in a bid to give the Corporation a face-lift, adding that previous commissioners of information made several promises to the Corporation, but were unable to fulfill their promises.
  He stated that if funds were provided adequately, the standards of the corporation will improve.
  According to him “ Some of those in these daily papers started here” He went further  by making a strong case for the Corporation in the area of funding when he stated that “ this corporation has only three problems; number one is money, number two is money, and number three is money”.