Zamfara State Commissioner for Finance Rabiu Garba has declared that some journalists in the state have developed the habit of reaching out to politicians and other prominent personalities for money whenever they have some revelations they do not want published or broadcast against them.
He said what he usually informed such type of media people is to ask them to go on with the story and publish or broadcast.
The Commissioner who stated this when he received in audience the Acting State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ who paid him a courtesy visit on Monday called on the union to take appropriate actions against its members involved in such acts.
The Commissioner also accused some journalists of being parcial and always attempting to change the pattern of stories and events as they unfold noting that there is nothing wrong in telling the truth, but it shall be the real truth.
He cited the example with a journalist from BBC who proudly said he masterminded the provision of supply of water for the people of one community noting that this is how good journalists should practice.
He urged that anytime a reporter wants to report attack or invasion on any part of Zamfara, he should endeavor to mention the distance of kilometers between the affected community and Gusau, the state capital noting that this would help in eliminating the fear of the private investors who are interested in coming to invest in Zamfara State.
Earlier the Chairman of the union, Comrade Bello Ibrahim Boko assured the Commissioner of the Union’s resolve to fight the spread of fake new especially on matters that border around security in the state.
He assured that the union would firmly investigate every allegation brought against a journalist who is a member of the union for any unethical conduct.
On his own part, the State Secretary of NUJ Zamfara, Abubakar Ahmed commended the Commissioner for his consideration of the plight of the journalists in the state especially on his frequent consultation with the members of the press whenever there are critical issues that required urgent attention.
