By BASHIR ADEFAKA and IBRAHIM KANOMA, Gusau
The Government of Zamfara State has dismissed a media report about purported ban of Hijrah TV Station from covering its activities, describing it as fake news.
In a statement issued in Gusau, the state capital on Monday by the Director General, Media, Public Enlightenment and Communications, Government House Malam Yusuf Idris Gusau, and copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER, the state government said it could not be an advocate of good relationship with media and at the same time be enemy of same.
Gusau said: “Our attention has been drawn to a purported story on banning of Hijrah Tv station from Covering Zamfara State Government activities written by Bashir Muhammed and Published by Primetimenews with an ill motive to tarnish the image and the good reputation of His Excellency, the Zamfara State Executive Governor, Hon. Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle by arm chair journalists who specialise in promoting fake news in order to create confusion.
“The writter of the report was said to have worked with Channels TV but was dismissed because of his attitudes and fraudulant acts to his former organisation and according to our findings from the hijrah tv management he is not the Managing Director nor the chief Executive officer as he impersonated but a frelancer with the tv organisation.
“Although the federal government has launched frantic campaign against fake news which has been supported by the state governments, many media houses and journalism professional bodies like the Nigeria Union of Journalists, still some persons acting on individual capacity use the opportunity provided them such as their media platforms to fabricate lies to unsuspecting readers and viewers.
“Today’s publication by Prime Times online that His Excellency, Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle fits into this category for want of many laid down rules as contained in the ethics of journalism profession.
“All news medium and their representatives (which Prime Times doesn’t have in Zamfara) can attest to the fact that Zamfara government under the stewardship of Matawallen Maradun is one of the best in the country in the sustenance of good media relationship because in the last two years that Matawalle has been governor, he has maintained an open door channel of information dissemination to both local and foreign media in spite of the way some practitioners in the profession play into the hands of mischief makers and bad politicians to cause disharmony.
“To say that such a government that is beating its chest for ensuring good working relationship with the media can be so inmodest as to deny journalists cover its activities, is to say the least, a betrayal of the journalism values.
“There is nowhere effort was made to verify the claim, because apart from the Hon. Commissioner of Information, there are other media aides including a Director-General, a Press Secretary and even the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House who are always ready to clear issues.
“Apart from the fact that the Shattiman Sakkwato led administration in Zamfara has been providing a level playing political arema making many members of the opposition willingly defect to the ruling PDP, the government or its agents do not delve into the affairs of any opposition political party talk less of hindering someone’s job because of his association with an opposition party or member.
“Also, to say that the Hon. Commissioner of Information’s line was called but he refused to pick is an embarassment on the part of the journalist who l will describe as ‘lazy’ because that could not have been enough, moreso, the way l know prime times, the medium would have published the letter barring such a reporter from covering the state government’s activities to authenticate the claim unless there is an ulterior motive for rushing to press.
“I want to assure you that since the state government in conjunction with the police have causioned media practitioners operating in the state against rumour mongering and the publication or spread of fake news, this spurious allegation will be investigated and the right measures will be carried out on those found wanting and made public.”
