24 years on, Kohima Press Club still awaits permanent home despite CM’s assurance

Members of the Kohima Press Club (KPC), led by President Alice Yhoshü, gathered at the KPC plot in the New Secretariat area of Kohima on the morning of June 7 to clean the site, reiterating the pressing need for a permanent building for the press body in the state capital.

Highlighting the urgency, Yhoshü said the club “prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary in January 2026,” yet remains without a dedicated space.

The call comes more than a year after Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced on February 27, 2024, during an official press conference, that “the construction of a permanent Kohima Press Club building would be completed within one year.” However, “one year and three months since the historic announcement… even the foundation is yet to be laid” for what is considered one of the state’s oldest press clubs.

KPC’s founding member, former president, and current advisor Kopelo Krome, who was present at the site on Saturday, expressed concern that “other states in India have high regard for press clubs and their respective state governments have facilitated proper club buildings with various facilities for journalists.” He lamented, “the KPC does not have a proper space even after 24 years of its existence.”

Supporting the advisor’s view, President Yhoshü pointed out that despite being based in the state capital, “the Kohima Press Club so far has no permanent or temporarily-allotted building from the government equipped with facilities for journalists—a place for journalists to congregate and exchange dialogue, conduct press conferences, and to carry out various professional activities.” She added that “the press body is currently functioning out of a rented space at the APO Building in Kohima.”

Acknowledging the challenges, Yhoshü stated, “While we acknowledge that there are no government rules or guidelines governing allotment or construction of building to journalists who are not government employees, I would like to point out that journalists in Nagaland are probably one of the lowest-paid employees in the private sector, and it is only through contributions and membership collections which help us sustain our organizational functioning and welfare activities.” She further appealed, “constructing a permanent office clubhouse is beyond our financial capability, so we have to entreat the state government for assistance.”

The KPC president also drew attention to the disparity between Nagaland and neighbouring states, saying, “It is pertinent to note that press clubs in the capitals of Nagaland’s neighbouring states enjoy facilities provided by their respective state governments.”

Tracing the history of the club, Yhoshü remarked that the KPC “formed 24 years ago by a few like-minded journalists based in Kohima to cater to the welfare of those associated with the Fourth Estate,” has “now grown into a vibrant body with more than 60 members.”

Given the “rapid burgeoning of members in the press fraternity,” she underscored “the urgent need for a facility which could function as a Media Centre in capital Kohima, and also cater to visiting journalists from other districts and states.”

Referring to the Chief Minister’s assurance, Yhoshü said, “We hopefully look forward to the commitment of the state government in making a permanent-press club building in Kohima a reality.”

Regarding the upcoming 25th anniversary celebration, she confirmed that “the May 14 resolve of the anniversary committees would stand, and accordingly, the press club will prepare to celebrate at the KPC plot, ‘with or without a roof over our heads.’”

MT