The National President of the Plateau Independent Publishers Association, Chief Nanyah Andrew Daman, has debunked media reports that the association was planning to run down the Plateau State Government.
Rather, PIPA said it was the state government that was sponsoring media reports against its members.
Daman said: “Recent events since the assumption of Governor Simon Lalong’s administration in Plateau State points to a grand plan by some individuals and politicians using some selected local print media outfits to achieve their aim.”
In a press release on Thursday made available to The Eagle Online, Daman described the insinuation that PIPA was against the state government as false.
He said: “At no time did anyone ask any PIPA member to ‘gang up to rundown Lalong’s government’; maybe the members of a splinter group known as Plateau Publishers Forum have been heavily paid to destroy the hard earned reputation of members of PIPA as it is common knowledge that the Director of Press Affairs (DOPA) in a meeting in his office asked a member of the Publishers Forum to him a list of those Lalong’s government will work with.
“It is quite unfortunate that unqualified publishers run from office to another deceiving the Chief of Staff, the SSG, the Speaker and other Government Officials that they are members of the APC chapel, something that has never happened in the history of journalism and publishing.
“It is more pathetic when some publishers would shamelessly do the unthinkable by running others down just for peanuts.
“we came to Jos to make money”; does this mean they would go to any length to make the money?”
The PIPA Chairman said the Lalong administration should fulfil the campaign promises it made to Plateau State people and not seek for cheap sympathy by alluding that some publishers are using their media houses to score Lalong’s administration low.
Daman added in the statement: “The Government is only being chased by its shadow of unfulfilled promises like obeying the rule of law, fight against corruption, fairness in political and administrative appointments, carrying the 54 ethnic groups along in governance, not entering the Government House at Little Rayfield, et al. Is it wrong to hold the Lalong led government accountable to its promises by putting it on check? Is it not true that Governor Lalong dissolved Local Government Councils of the state?”
He also accused Lalong of obtaining loans running into billions of naira without recourse to the Plateau State House of Assembly until when criticized that he transmitted a letter to the House for deliberation after the loan had been collected and spent.
The statement added: “Is not true that Lalong travelled abroad without recourse to the State Assembly? Is it not true that Lalong’s appointment so far favours his kinsmen? Is it not true that all security operatives in Government House as at today were selected on tribal lines? Is it not true that the Director of Press Affairs (DOPA) to the Governor is the husband of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor’s wife? Is it not true that the Governor has parted ways with most stakeholders who worked for his election? Is it not true that postings to ‘juicy’ ministries are done on tribal bases? Is it not true that the defacto governor is a younger brother to the Governor who compares himself to Yakubu Jang? Is not true that while berom land is being attacked and innocent women and children are gunned down, the Lalong administration looks the other way? Is it not true that while billions are collected to pay salaries, yet workers and pensioners were not fully paid? Is not true that till date, the Lalong government is yet to tell Plateau people the policy thrust of its administration 65 days after its inauguration? Is not true that the Lalong’s administration agrees that 11 is greater that 13 and 5 is greater than 20? Is not true that the Director of Press Affairs to the Governor categorized some publishers as government candidates? Is not true that only 4 house leaders out of 325 councillors were at a press conference to speak for the rest at the meeting with the Chief of Staff? Is it not not true that the dissolved LGCs towed the path of peace rather than that of impunity and violence like the government wanted? Is not true that by going to court, the Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen and Councillors were men and women of honour who obtained a court injunction restraining Lalong and his assigns rather than becoming lawbreakers? Is it not true that the governor and his appointees are busy buying properties in and outside the state rather than paying workers’ salaries and allowances? Is it not true that Lalong’s administration has no technocrats in his government? Is it not true that the majority leader reads all executive bills and mails in the House of Assembly but it was the Speaker that read the letter of the governor, constituting Management Committees? Is it not true that Lalong is making frantic efforts to divide and rule the dissolved LGCs? Is it not true that plans are on ground to permanently close down indigenous newspapers and magazines perceived to be anti-government, not minding their socio-economic contribution to the development of the state?”
The PIPA chairman advised the Government to truly serve the populace by giving good governance if it doesn’t want to be criticized and take note of the fact that Plateau Independent Publishers cannot be intimidated into abandoning their responsibilities as the fourth estate of the realm since the Freedom of Information Act allows them to hold government accountable for their actions or inactions.
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