From David Onuoja, Abuja
Members of the Environmental Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN) after an emergency Congress held today Friday 31 July, 2026 dissolved its former executives and appointed interim leaders and Electoral committee respectively.
In a press statement issued and signed by Joycelyn E. Adah and David Onuoja respectively, and on behalf of the association after the Congress which was held at the Nelson Nuek Garden, close to the ECOWAS Parliament near the International Conference Centre (ICC)
Area 11, Abuja, said members have resolved to reposition the association through a series of decisions reached at the Emergency Congress.
The Congress, which was attended by the environmental journalists from various media organisations, deliberated extensively on the state of the association, its leadership structure, and the need to strengthen institutional governance in line with democratic principles and professional standards.
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Following this deliberations, members expressed concerns over the prolonged tenure of the existing leadership and the absence of an electoral process for the emergence of the dissolved executive members. The Congress subsequently adopted a motion dissolving the existing executive led by Mr Amechi Chukwuekwu Oyema and resolved that a new interim leadership be constituted to steer the affairs of the association pending elections.
To buttress this with transparent transition process, the Congress constituted a three member Electoral Committee, comprising, Chidi Ugwu of Times Reporter, Adah Achanya of BBM TV, and Adekunle Silver Buruji of Channel TV. The committee has been mandated to conduct elections within one month and liaise with the former executives to retrieve all documents, records, bank details, and other assets belonging to the association.
The Congress equally approved the appointment of an Interim Leadership Committee to oversee the affairs of EMCAN during the transition period. The committee is made up of Joycelyn E. Adah of PerSecondnews as Interim Chairman, David Onuoja of The Graphic newspaper as Interim Secretary, Zeniat O. Abubakar, Abigael I. Joshua, Samuel Adeyinka, and Folarin Kehinde as members.
Members also emphasized that the decisions reached were guided by the collective desire to strengthen EMCAN, promote accountability, encourage broader participation, and ensure the association operates in accordance with democratic and professional best practices.
The newly inaugurated Interim Leadership Committee pledged to work with all stakeholders to foster unity, transparency, and inclusiveness while supporting the Electoral Committee to deliver credible elections within the stipulated timeframe.
It reaffirmed its commitment to building a stronger, more vibrant, and more influential association that effectively represents the interests of environmental journalists and contributes meaningfully to environmental reporting and advocacy in Nigeria.
