Barely 3 days after the outgone Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang
left office, journalists in the State are decrying that he left
without settling outstanding advert bills owed different media outfits
running into millions of naira.

The journalists in a press statement signed by the Chairman of the
Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in the
State, Aminu Yusuf Idegu, Tuesday, expressed
disappointment in the manner the former governor vacated office
without defraying such conspicuous commitments.

“It is even more worrisome that Jang did not reflect same in his
handover notes to the new administration in Government House. They
lamented.

The statement also noted that some of the debts owed the media
organisations through the state correspondents date to as far back
as2012, indicating that the affected media outfits includes: The
Nation, Tribune, Blueprint, Daily Independent, Leadership, Thisday,
National Mirror, Daily Newswatch, and  Vanguard.

“Given the peculiar experiences that journalists, especially
correspondents grappled with covering the recurrent crises that
plagued the tenure of Jang as the Governor of Plateau State,
journalists carpet the former governor as an “insensitive ingrate” for
denying the labourers their legitimate earnings.

In spite of the vigil the affected correspondents kept between the new
Government House and the residence of the immediate past commissioner
for finance, the statement added, “It is callous the manner the
government parked off and literally vanished through the back doors.

“Upon further inquiries by the anxious creditors, it was gathered that
Jang closed the matter saying the only money he had left is for his
tribunal cases, as if the correspondents are a party to his electoral
palavers. The statement further reads.

The statement called on the new government of Barrister Simon Lalong
to toe a new course and entrench a tradition having such advertorials
emanating from government pre-paid so as to maintain a healthy working
relationship with the various media organisations.

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Plateau Journalists Lament Non Payment of Advert Bills Running into Millions of Naira by Jang Administration