​Benue journalists fight over Governor Ortom’s N10 million handout.

Benue State journalists are at loggerheads over a sum of N10 milion handed out to them under the auspices of the Independent Print Media Publishers Association of Nigeria, IPPAN.
According to reports, the said sum was part payment for a 24-page Independence Day advertorial published by members of the association for the state government during the tenure of former governor, Gabriel Suswam who failed to pay. 

However, trouble started when the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state, Mr Bemgba Iortyom accused the Special Adviser to the governor on Media/ICT, Mr Tahav Agerzua of trying to divert 10% of the funds, also alleging a rift within the IPPN hierarchy with some members aggrieved over the sharing formula. 

According to him, “…on taking custody of the money, the Ortom Media Adviser is said to have first taken a 10% cut from it for himself, and then drawn up a list of a few members considered as Ortom loyalists, which also included his name, whom he paid various sums, including himself, taking as much as N400,000.00, while some took N100,000.00, depending on the perceived degree of loyalty.

“…the total amount shared out is only a small portion of the total sum, with aggrieved members lamenting that they had participated actively in the tour for which the money was paid, but were ignored.”

In a swift reaction, Mr Agerzua who was the IPPAN Chairman when the job was done described the allegations leveled against him as baseless threatening to take legal action if not retracted. 

He said, “I did not collect N10 million for members of the Independent Print-Media Publishers Association of Nigeria, IPPAN. Moreover, I did not take any percentage from it and did not short change anyone on account of loyalty or disloyalty to Governor Samuel Ortom. 

“I therefore demand that you, Mr Bemgba Iortyom, retract the baseless allegations you have made against me with regard to the receipt of IPPAN funds immediately.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the association, Mr Nelson Ogbu also refuted the allegations saying it was a ridiculous, mischievous and maliciously calculated attempt to bring IPPAN to disrepute and paint the reputable members occupying various leadership positions in bad light.

According to him, “the said money that was paid to the body was electronically communicated to members

in conformity with the financial practice of this current administration.”

Mr Ogbu also added that the association was not aware of any aggrieved member occasioned by the payment and promised that internal mechanisms would be used to resolve such, should any arise. 

That notwithstanding, publishers of new magazines have expressed their disgust over been left out of the governor’s largess. 

Speaking, one of them claimed his phone calls to IPPAN officials on the matter has been repeatedly ignored even though he was asked to draw up a list which he had obligued. 

“I called twice to register my displeasure over the devilish plot for me not to enjoy the fruit of my labour but they (IPPAN officials) refused to pick my call. Tahav produced the suppliment pull out for only publishers of Newspapers but none for News magazine publishers. Tahav asked me to produce my pull out which I did, published and submitted to the leadership of IPPAN who accepted it. Today in their little wisdom we are not qualify to be paid.” He lamented. 

With allegations and counter-allegations flying around, the last is yet to be heard on this matter which has the potential of ripping the profession of journalism apart in Benue State. 


Source Benue.info