.…..Uses DBS, Pointer As Conduit Pipes
Delta state information commissioner, Mr. Patrick Ukah, ‘erratic and bully’ in nature, has been described as a big misfit in the state information ministry. Ukah, according to information before HardReporters, is incompetent and lacks all it takes to man such an all important office.
In a telephone interview with HardReporters, staffers of Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS), Asaba and Warri and the Pointer Newspapers, described the ‘erratic’ information commissioner, Mr. Ukah, as not only a failure, deceptive and disappointment, but an “evil wind that blows no one any good.”
The staff who pleaded for anonymity, noted that the coming of Ukah as information commissioner for the past two years of governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration is suicidal as the state owned media houses cannot boast of any tangible success story rather than all round failures.
“Do you know for over two weeks DBS Television, Asaba was off air. What about Pointer Newspapers and our sister station, DRTV Warri? there is nothing to write home about. Ukah is good at running to Lagos to bribe editors, harass Journalists in the state and report them directly to their editors in Lagos. Ukah is very inexperienced, bossy and believes so much in destroying others. Ukah engages in deception. Sponsors private broadcast stations to be ahead of DBS and not proactive.” one of the managers said.
According to a senior management staff in one of the state owned broadcasting stations, Ukah who is suspected to be involved in taking of substances, specialised in bullying civil servants, issued queries to staff for failing to hook up to private broadcast stations for live coverage among others, adding that “Because of his incompetence and inexperienced, governor Okowa’s town hall meetings are under publicized, no features, news stories in major newspapers and televisions. Governor Okowa should act fast and decisive, 2019 is not far. State-run media outfits are mouthpiece of government, Ukah is stifling them.”
The Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, had last week charged the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) during a courtesy visit by the Benin Zonal Director of the NBC, Mr. Tony Anigala, on him (Ukah) in Asaba to expedite action on the digital switch over programme in the television broadcast industry.
Mr, Ukah, thanked the Commission for including the Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) among stations to be in the first phase of the switch over, said it will give the government broadcast media the platform to reach wider audience.
Commenting on Ukah’s call, a DBS staff described Ukah’s urge on NBC to expedite action on digital switchover as an inciting hypocrisy, adding that “With the comatose state of DBS, thunder arrestors stolen, OB Van looted, each department working with I-pass-my-neighbor generators, news preparation still cumbersomely manual and gross inadequacy of requisite content to meet the target compliance date, how did Ukah find the affected justification to sound like the DBS is miles ahead of others and nearly ready on the digitalization? Most shameful way to play S. M. A. R. T.”
Meanwhile, HardReporters reliably gathered that the information commissioner in connivance with other senior management staff and officials of the ministry have allegedly turned the state owned media houses to conduit pipes where they amass wealth to the detriment of the workers and government.
“Ukah and his gang, we know them are using the state owned media houses as conduit pipes to be looting funds. A detailed letter is already been done to governor Ifeanyi Okowa. We are set to expose Ukah and his gang who are killing DBS Asaba, Warri and the Pointer newspapers. These guys are trading seriously with the state owned media houses, looting funds here and there. Stealing is now the order of the day at DBS, Warri. DBS Asaba and Warri are nothing to write home about. Pay a visit to these stations and you will shock with what you will see. Cut and nail work.” a staff said.
It would be recalled that, the commissioner for information, Ukah and governor Okowa’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Aniagwu have been at loggerheads over who controls Journalists covering the governor’s town hall meetings and inspections of projects across the state and following what suggested Ukah’s incompetence, governor Okowa appointed an Executive Assistant in charge of Directorate of Orientation which was carved out of the state ministry of information, a development which did not go down well with Ukah and almost forced him to resign in 2016.
As at the time of filing this report, calls put to the embattled information commissioner, Mr. Patrick Ukah were rebuffed.
HardReporters will relay Ukah’s side of reactions when he becomes available.
Now I think this is character assassination I must say. Before you lay such allegations please produce facts
Hard reporters has never seen anything good about the Okowa led administration. It is rather unfortunate that publishers who are suppose to be the custodian of truth at all times are now compromising their integrity for peanuts and personal aggrandizement. Commissioner Ukah without any iota of doubt has proved to Deltans that he is capable of the assigned job considering the way information are being disseminated and always on time. How and where was the fund looted? Who are the accomplice? You should provided Deltans with evidences to back your claims rather than dwell in the periphery of lies and deceit.
Stop peddling lies to deceive the public with your vague and untrue information. Mr Ukah is working round the clock to make DBS world standard.