Yobe Government has debunked an online media report alleging that the state has not recorded any expenditure on basic education in 2024.
This is contained in a statement by Alhaji Mamman Mohammed, Gov Mai Mala Buni’s Director-General, Press and Media Affairs, in Damaturu on Wednesday.
Mohammed described the report as “ deliberate lies and falsehood” aimed at denting the good image of the state.
He said the medium in its usual style, published a story alleging zero expenditure on basic education while, N3.8bn was expended on sitting allowance and construction of Presidential chalets in Yobe state.
“ In an attempt to garnish the falsehood, a document was deliberately published in tiny and almost unreadable characters that is very unfriendly and discouraging for readers to read the content.
“ For those who took the pain to thoroughly scan the document, it showed the sitting allowance and construction expenditure reflected.
“ While the alleged zero expenditure on basic education expenditure is conspicuously missing and not reflected for the reader to make an independent comparison, assessment and judgment,” he said.
To set the records straight, Mohammed said, the state actually paid N3.5 billion to the Universal Basic Education Board ( UBEC) as its counterpart fund.
He added that N3 billion was also spent on instructional materials and rehabilitation of classrooms and hostels in over 10 schools.
The aide said over N1.5 billion was used by the state for paying tuition and registration fees of students within the period under review.
Mohammed noted that, “ using one’s common sense of judgment, zero expenditure on basic education suggests that all schools in the state are closed”.
He recognised the responsibility of the media to hold governments to account, but advised that the ethics of journalism must be strictly adhered to in doing so.
“ Journalism is no doubt, a noble profession that seeks to inform and educate the public objectively, and obviously, a veritable tool that promotes accountability in governance for the common good of the people.
“ However, it becomes a poison when wrongly used to parade deliberate lies and falsehood, with flagrant abuse to its laid down ethics,” the aide said.(NAN).
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