All is not well with Kogi State Government media handlers aka Data boy, especially those who held various positions on ad-hoc basis with the hope of a better deal in the administration’s return to power, Ebira Reporter
This is because they are being owed several months in arrears of salaries with some of them living only on ever fading promises and assurances of getting a look – in while everyday reality stare them in the eyes that the administration is tightening the noose on its information sector.
Their situation is not helped by the creation of the ministry of information and communication with the commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, ensuring many loopholes identified in the early days of the government were addressed through a centralised system.
Most of them are becoming disillusioned by the day as their relevance wanes and the many months of arrears still unpaid, just like the situation affecting the cleaning agencies working for the Governor Yahaya Bello administration in the state.
This reporter gathered that the power play going on between the Governor camp and his Deputy, Edward Onoja’s camp has impacted the situation as the huge gap in the sector was used from the office of the former Chief of Staff to the Governor to draw huge resources from government coffers without a justifiable outcome.
It was further learnt that power brokers in the government felt really short – changed when they came across some media related memos and approvals that were signed off on at the end of which nothing tangible was achieved, hence the decision to block the leakages.
One of the arms of the government’s media, an outfit believed to have been created from the office of the former Chief of Staff, which served as a conduit of siphoning rather than an actual media organisation is not spared as it has become a shadow of itself mostly because of lack of motivation caused by over ten months unpaid wages.
Their matter and those of other related groups are not helped by the policy of Governor Bello to concentrate on core media angle of his administration through the ministry of information and the innovations being introduced by the commissioner.
Some of those affected by the situation have taken on some members of the current administration on social media, throwing subtle shades at those they suspect are responsible for their plight while others have come out fully ready to tell the world they feel used and dumped.
Governor Bello had admitted in his second term swearing in speech that some groups worked round the clock to correct public misinformation about his performance and assured them of his preparedness to continue to work with them.
Credit: Ebira Reporter