A one day capacity building workshop by governor Ifeanyi Okowa led government for members of the Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN), Delta State Chapter has ended in controversy with government officials breaching agreement reached with the Association.
HardReporters correspondent gathered that the leadership of the Association entered into an agreement with the state government to organize a training workshop for her members on the rudiments of publishing, with a transport allowance of N20, 000 for each member at the end of the workshop for their transport.
It was however learnt that governor Okowa’s aides delivered lectures orally without printed materials while the sum of N25 million was said to have been budgeted for the nine hours event which took place last week Friday at Hotel Benizia, Asaba, owned by the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Kingsley Emu,
The workshop which was put together by the media office of governor Okowa and attended by his Communication Manager,
Jackson Ekwugum, his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu, and other media aides, it was gathered, Chairman of the Association, Jude Obieyemengo and members staged a walk out of the event following the breach in agreement earlier reached.
Speaking to our correspondent on the issue, a publisher said there was an agreement reached that at the end of the workshop the transport allowance would be given to the leadership of the Association for further disbursement to members but the largess was hijacked by the afore mentioned government officials for their benefits.
“It was disappointing that we were used by Okowa aides to amassed wealth to our detriment. Some members who were given money only discovered that the transport allowances given were varies as some got N10, 000 while others got the initial agreed N20, 000. The agreement was that all members of the Association will get N20, 000 not the other way round.”
Our correspondent gathered that when the CPS was confronted outside by some daring members, he said the earlier treaty entered could no longer hold as there was alleged doctoring of the registered list, but this the chairman of the Association immediately debunked.
The Publishers however accused the government officials of diverting the money for the programme into their private pockets.
It was reliably learnt that the Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ukah, was side-lined as neither he nor his Media Assistant, Sam Ijeh were involved in the programme which is been referred to as a “Racket” between among the governor’s media team.
HardReporters reliably gathered that as the event was going on, Mr. Ukah, was with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Paul Osahon, the chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, Mr. Mike Ikeogwu and some top management staff of the ministry in an informal meeting.
