From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
Journalism is no doubt a noble profession that seeks to inform and educate the public objectively and, obviously, a veritable tool that promotes accountability in governance for the common good of the people.
In a press statement signed and released by Mamman Mohammed, The DG press and media affairs to the governor Mai Mala Buni said that, however, it becomes poison when wrongly used to parade deliberate lies and falsehood, with flagrant abuse to its laid down ethics.
Some hours ago, Sahara reporters, in its usual style, published a story alleging zero expenditure on basic education while N3.8bn was expended on sitting allowance and construction of Presidential chalets in Yobe state.
In an attempt to garnish the falsehood, a document was deliberately published in tiny and almost unreadable characters that are very unfriendly and discouraging for readers to read the content.
For those who took the pain to thoroughly scan the document, it showed the sitting allowance and construction expenditure reflected, while the alleged zero expenditure on basic education expenditure is conspicuously missing and not reflected for the reader to make an independent comparison, assessment and judgment.
For the avoidance of doubt, the state government had, in the last three quarters of the year, expended over N3bn on procurement of instructional materials, and rehabilitation of classrooms and hostels in over ten schools. The sum of over N1.5bn was paid for tuition and registration fees, while another N3.5bn was paid to UBEC as counterpart funds, to mention but a few.
Using one’s common sense of judgment, zero expenditure on Basic education suggests that all schools in the state are closed.
In contrast to the unholy suggestion by the publication, schools across Yobe state have indeed recorded an increase in enrolment generally and are running with great improvement.
