The management of the Nigerian Press Council, NPC, has dismissed a recent report in some sections of the media, alleging agitation by staff over non-payment of salaries, as a handiwork of the fifth columnists and mischief makers in the agency.
Reacting to a story trending mostly on the social media, under the headline: “Workers Groan as FG Stops Funding Nigerian Press Council”, the Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr. Dili Ezughah, said the story amounted to muck raking as the President had since returned the council to the budget.
Dr. Ezughah said it “was known by every member of staff of the council that President Bola Tinubu, in late July this year, graciously approved the restoration of the Nigerian Press Council to the budget”.
He also said it was public knowledge in the council that the Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office were already working frantically to ensure the resumption of payment of salaries of NPC staff, possibly by this month.
The Executive Secretary equally observed that the names given in the story were fictitious as they were not in the council’s nominal roll.
He, however, said the sponsors of the fake news could not hide behind their fingers as they were known, having done more terrible things in the past to tarnish the image of the council and undermine its interest.
He, therefore, warned those elements to desist from their perennial nefarious activities and channel their talents and energies into building up the Council.
The Executive Secretary, while acknowledging the hardship the staff were passing through as a result of the erroneous removal of the agency from budget, said they had never resorted to reckless comments or pernicious propaganda as depicted in the said report.
On the converse, he said the staff had exhibited uncommon resilience and commitment to duty, believing that one day the human error would be rectified.
Dr. Ezughah said most of the staff never wavered in the joyful anticipation of their arrears of salaries any moment from now.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his fatherly role in coming to the rescue of the Nigerian Press Council.
Dr. Ezughah equally expressed appreciation for the intervention of the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Dr Mohammed Malagi Idris, as well as the National Assembly on the matter.
