JoyNews Editor Fred Smith has been appointed Country Coordinator for Journalists International Forum For Migration (JIFORM).

General Manager of Radio Nigeria Bronze FM in Benin City, Bimbo Oyetunde remains Vice President of West Africa; Zambian journalist, Juliet Makwama becomes Secretary General and Kunle Adeniyi of Kiss FM in Abuja, Assistant General Secretary.

Those appointed include Willie Mponda an Editor at The Sun Newspaper, Zimbabwe as JIFORM Coordinator Southern Africa; an American, Megan Janetsky, Coordinator America;  Massinissa Benlakehal an Algerian journalist based in Tunisia, Coordinator Northern Africa and Adam Jobe from Chronicle Newspaper, Coordinator Gambia.

Additionally, Barrister Roselyn Obakpolor, the Vice Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, Ikeja Branch and foremost activist, Barrister Wale Ogunade are now JIFORM legal advisers.

Advisers named for the foundation include a US-based journalist/migrant counsellor, Eric Chinje and migration expert based in Germany, Veye Tatah.

National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, DCI Sunday James is now JIFORM Programme Chief Coordinator.

Prof Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu, O.S.A assumes the role of Director Research and Content while Rasak Bamidele and Adeola Ekine, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Lagos State Chapter were appointed as Regional Director Publications and Women Coordinator, Nigeria respectively.

The President and Executive Director of Forum, Ajibola Abayomi said that the appointments were imperative in order to position the organisation for a new phase of its advocacy taking a new turn.

JIFORM is an organisation championing regular migration and anti-human trafficking crusade in a bid to strengthen its structure across the globe.

The Forum which held its maiden global migration summit in Abuja, on December 26 and 27, 2019 has over 150 seasoned journalists in addition to volunteers spread across the continents.