By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
TPCN has learnt that some journalists in Port Harcourt are not happy with the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over mounting debts owed them by the commission.
According to some of the journalists who spoke to TPCN on Friday in Port Harcourt, the debts were incurred through adverts they published for the NDDC on credit with an assurance from the commission that the adverts would be paid for once published in their newspapers, most of which are national dailies.
But after the publication of such adverts, the NDDC reneged on their promise and began to owe the said newspapers, pitching the journalists, who they gave the adverts, with the management of their various media houses which, in some cases, threaten to deduct the advert money from their salaries.
TPCN was informed that these advert debts owed by the NDDC have accumulated over the years to more than two hundred million naira, as successive management boards of the commission keep deferring the payment, despite regularly awarding contracts worth billions of naira.
One of the journalists, who spoke to TPCN, said several efforts made by the journalists to recover the money always ended in futility, lamenting that each time their matter gets to the highest authorities of the NDDC management, it is shoved aside.
He added: “We have made several efforts to recover the money but there seems to be a conspiracy not to pay us. It’s like each time our memos get to the MD’s office, they push it aside. Even when our own people were there, they still made every effort to get them to pay us but no headway.
“This is unfair. What is N200 hundred million to NDDC when they’re giving out contracts worth hundreds of billions of naira to people and sometimes they even pay some contractors when the jobs have not been completed. Why are they finding it difficult to pay us for the little adverts we published for them? I‘m not happy about it.”
Asked what they intend to do about the issue, the aggrieved journalist said: “We have tried to understand with them for too long, hoping that they will change their mind and pay us but since they don’t want to pay, we may have to boycott their activities and stop carrying their news in our papers until they pay. And it will not end there because we can’t leave that money. So we may also be forced to stage a protest at the commission’s headquarters at Eastern Bypass. May be they think that because we’re journalists, we will be ashamed to do protest. They will be shocked when they will see us at their gate one morning with placards. Then the world will know what they’re doing to us. I’m sure that’s when the money will come out. We will do it.”
Another journalist who spoke to TPCN on the issue, expressed surprise that NDDC recently bought 15 vehicles for the forensic auditors who he said have been paid millions of naira, yet it is finding it difficult to pay them the advert money.
“Just imagine that less than two weeks ago, NDDC bought 15 vehicles for its forensic auditors who are supposed to provide their own mobility with the millions already paid them, yet the management did not deem it necessary to pay us for the adverts we published for them over the years. Is it not wickedness? And they forget that we can cause havoc for them with our pens. “They think we don’t know what is happening there. Can you imagine? 10 Hilux vans and 5 buses – in fact, one is a mini luxurious bus; are they supposed to buy cars for the auditors who are auditing their past activities and unnecessary expenses? When my office heard it, they remembered the adverts again and started asking me how far I’ve gone in recovering the money. When I told them that nothing is happening, they were very angry. I don’t think I will attend their programmes again.”
On why they have not made any noise over the debts till date, the journalist replied: “Well, we’re press men and as pressmen, we’re gentlemen. Gentlemen have their own way of pursuing their matters. Besides, we’re also correspondents representing our various newspapers. There are things we can’t do without approval from our headquarters. It’s not that we can’t make noise with our pens or can’t carry placards, but we must clear with our authorities. May be now that NDDC has remained silent over the debts, we will resort to any of these options to recover our money. Whether they like it or not, they must pay.”
TPCN gathered that penultimate Thursday, some correspondents working with national dailies staged a mild protest at the head quarters of the NDDC shortly after the acting MD of the commission, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, handed over 15 vehicles to the forensic auditors investigating the activities of the commission.
According to a source, the correspondents had thought that Prof Pondei would give them little attention to explain their predicament with regard to the advert debts, having spoken to some officers of the NDDC earlier to work it out. But, to their chagrin, the NDDC MD, after handing over the vehicles to the auditors, took off with speed, totally snubbing the correspondents, who the source said even made effort to greet him but were blocked by his security guards.
Our source said the correspondents, unable to take the insult, flared up in anger, raked and threatened to blacklist NDDC if the commission continues to treat the issue of their advert money with disregard.
TPCN learnt that it took the intervention of one of the NDDC officers, who appeared to know the correspondents very well, to calm them down.
The NDDC officer was also said to have promised the correspondents that something would be done about their advert money.
TPCN’s checks showed that Vanguard, SUN, Daily Independent and Nation are among the newspapers being owed advert debts by NDDC.
Efforts to reach the Corporate Affairs Department of the NDDC for more information on the advert debts are still ongoing.
