Apparently pleased with the way and manner the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) has been carrying out its roles and responsibilities over the years, the President of the Badagry Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BCCIMA), Mr. Yahaya Idris has enjoined it to be consistent in the delivery of its mandate.
While commending MARAN for its objective reporting of the maritime industry, he patted the association on the back for organizing a retreat for its executives at the beginning of the year.
The BCCIMA President who is a retired Deputy Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) who sated this when he had an interactive session with the executive members of the association last weekend during its retreat in the ancient city of Badagry declared emphatically: “MARAN is doing a marvelous job criticizing constructively. Everybody knows where MARAN belongs and appreciates the job it is doing.”
Describing MARAN as a force to reckon with, he enjoined its members to toe the path of what he called “just reporting” and avoid fake news which he said could drag the association backward.
His words: “I won’t talk from the angle of maybe anybody should favour you. I won’t say Customs should do this for you. Immigration should do this for you. Your work is there. MARAN has been doing a marvellous job criticising constructively. So everybody will know where you belong. I know so many people are appreciating your job.
“So what I will want you to do is to continue consistently on what you are doing. Like you have been doing, continue with it. Nobody needs to do this or that for you. You have already established yourself as a force to be reckoned with. Report justly. When any of your members write fake news against somebody and it is known, you are dragging the association back.”
The President of MARAN, Mr. Godfrey Bivbere in his response thanked God for His grace that brought all members of the association through in all its activities in 2024.
According to him, in this 2025 MARAN will be deliberate in all its activities as a lot lie ahead of the association. We have a loaded plan for this foremost maritime media beat association. We are committed to repositioning MARAN with a view to take it to heights it had never attained in the past.
Bivbere enjoined the executives and members of MARAN to give him a united support to make his dream for the association a reality.