I am compelled to draw your attention to a a recent falsified story in Blueprint Newspaper of Tuesday 29th September , 2015, captioned “Taraba N8bn bailout missing” by Stephen Osu, your reporter (see copy attached). This complaint is formally channeled to you to note and take the appropriate measure to remedy this act.
You may wish to be informed that this is the second time that Stephen Osu gave cause for this kind of complaint to be made in connection with what seems to be his style of practice – writing concocted stories.
A similar complaint was sent to the Taraba State Council of the NUJ leadership on 28th March, 2013 captioned “Wife weeps as N200m stalls Suntai’s Treatment” in which he primarily made mockery of the then Governor’s wife. Earlier, he had misled the public in a report claiming that the Governor Suntai’s properties were moved out of Government House to the extent of citing vehicles used and their registration plates which were non-existent in its fleet.
It is pertinent to note that, this recurrence is a direct result of not taking a decisive sanction on him back then.
It is proper to intimate you of the current friendly atmosphere journalists are experiencing in this dispensation of Arc. Darius Disckson Ishaku, it has not been the case in the history of Taraba state.
There is sufficient evidence that the Governor is willing to partner with the press as he has often stated in his interaction with Journalists. However, the conduct of your reporter by that report gives a grave cause for concern.
The reporter failed to seek out information from the other party in the story which of course would have rendered the story pointless because Taraba has not received any bailout fund.
This either indicates a sinister plot to achieve the aim of anti-government sponsors or outright quackery in the art, even after years of practice . Let me assure you that the government will not sleep on this matter. The next line of action by the Government will be determined by your response to this letter and an acceptable step to undo the damage the story has already done to the person of the Governor and state.
Suffice it to refer you to a dinner recently organized for journalists in the state at the instance of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Taraba state, Arc, Darius Dickson Ishaku.
In his remarks, he among other things shared with them his idea of ideal media relations, buttressing the need to verify information before going to press. However, with this story, Stephen Osu in a brazen manner, did the opposite.
I am convinced that you realize what this means to the journalism profession and the implication to the credibility of your establishment if no action is taken; I leave that to your discretion.
While anticipating your prompt response, do accept my regards.
Sylvanus Y. Giwa
Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor on Media and Publicity.
