The inaugural edition of a continent wide forum for maritime journalists, content owners and publishers based in Africa, tagged Africa Maritime Journalists Conference (AMJOC), will hold this January in Accra, Ghana’s capital city.
Under the theme “Building Effective Communication Infrastructure for Africa’s Blue Economy, the conference will take place on the 29 and 30 January 2016, at the Coconut Groove Regency Hotel.
Aside members of the maritime media fraternity, other participants expected at the two day event are maritime industry corporate communication and information officers, advocacy groups, trade and professional associations, non-governmental and civil society groups etc.
Special Guest of Honour is Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Transport, Hon. (Mrs) Joyce Bawah Mogtari. She will give a Keynote Address on “Maritime Media as Vessel for Africa’s Economic Transformation” at the Opening Ceremony.
Some of the invited speakers include Mr Magnus Teye Addico – former Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) Mr Micheal Luguje – Secretary General of Pan African Ports Co-operation (PAPC); Capt. Arian Turkson – former Rector of the Regional Maritime University-Ghana; Barrister Hassan Bello – Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers Council, and Capt. Dallas Laryea – Head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Office for Anglophone West Africa.
Others are Barrister (Mrs) Nancy Karigithu – Principal Secretary, Maritime Commerce – Kenya Ministry of Transport; Mr Richard Anamoo – Director General of Ghana Ports and Habours Authority; Commander Tsietsi Mokhele – CEO of South African Maritime Safety Agency; Revd (Dr) Peter I. Azuma – Director General of Ghana Maritime Authority; and Mr George Sunguh, Editor PMAESA Our Port Magazine.
Chairperson of the Conference Organising Committee, Mr. Lanre Badmus, explained that AMJOC is conceived as an annual capacity building platform for maritime media executives in the continent, to strengthen professionalism and promote best practices in the delivery of maritime news across Africa and to the world.
According to Badmus, the conference aim is to set agenda and encourage peer review by maritime institutions in Africa; support research and information exchanges among maritime media practitioners; advocate solidarity and goodwill between the media and all segments of the maritime industry.
The Accra conference entails interactive technical sessions, display of maritime journals, books and media equipment, as well as a pre-conference educational visit to maritime establishments, he added.
Papers to be discussed include “Maritime Policy Development and its Impact on Africa’s Economy”; “Africa’s Blue Economy and Contemporary Maritime Media”; “Capacity Building and Institutional Support for Maritime Media in Africa”; “Maritime Domain Awareness – Role of the Media”; “Effective Media to Business Relations in the Maritime Industry: Methods and Tactics”; and “Ethics and Professionalism in Maritime Media Practice”.
The event is free for all practising maritime media journalists and content owners, however for those who are not journalists, a registration fee will be charged. All interested participants are to register by visiting the conference official website www.amjoc.net, click on the REGISTER MENU to access the form online. Deadline for registration is 20 January, 2016.
Send your news, press releases/articles to info@primetimereporters.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @reportersinfo and on Facebook at facebook.com/primetimereporters or call the editor on 07030661526.
