Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has signed into law a bill transforming Owena Press Limited into the Ondo State Printing and Publishing Corporation (OSPPC), officially granting the state-owned media outfit corporate status after decades of failed attempts at restructuring.
The reform bill, forwarded to the Ondo State House of Assembly earlier this year, passed through legislative procedures including committee reviews and a public hearing attended by journalists, labour leaders, media stakeholders and government officials before receiving final approval from lawmakers.
Originally established in 1989 during the military administration of Olabode George, Owena Press had long operated as the publisher of The Hope newspaper and other government publications. Several past administrations attempted to upgrade the organisation into a corporation, but the plans never materialised until now.
Speaking on the development, Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, said the new law would modernise the state’s printing and publishing sector, improve financial sustainability, strengthen official information management and preserve important government records.
Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Ifabiyi, also described the transition as a major step toward improving efficiency and competitiveness in the evolving media industry.
Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the organisation, Kayode Fasua, praised the governor for completing a reform process that had stalled for years. According to him, the corporation status would resolve operational challenges, improve workers’ welfare and position the organisation for wider regional expansion.
Similarly, the Ondo State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Leke Adegbite, commended both the governor and the Assembly for responding to longstanding demands for restructuring within the organisation.
The announcement sparked celebrations among staff members, who described the development as the beginning of a new chapter for the media establishment, with expectations of better welfare packages, stability and growth opportunities.
