Group Knocks News Blog, 'The Investigator' Over Skewed Publication

... Says Act Unethical, Reprehensible

By Ebi COLLINS 

A news blog called 'The Investigator' has been given a bashing by a politically conscious organization known as 3rd Force in Support of Good Governance, for its publication of 4th November, 2024, captioned "Policy Alert Chides Cross River State Government over Disbursement to the Chief of Staff office, Neglects Key Sectors."

In a release signed by Mr. Tom Johnson, titled "CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT - Administration and Accounting: An Essential Prerequisite of Participatory Democracy," the political group accused 'The Investigator' of distorted information and half-truths in its review of Cross River state government's third quarter expenditure, which purportedly alleged that the Bassey Otu-led administration is prioritising approvals to the office of the Chief of Staff (which is personal to him) over other key sectors of the State, 16.09bn Recurrent Expenditure (which is 125 times higher than Capital Expenditure of 7.12bn), against the present administration's campaign promise to reduce cost of governance, zero releases of funds for personnel, overhead and capital expenditure to the House of Assembly, accusing government of deliberately attempting to frustrate the oversight function of the legislature, amongst many other things.

The political group discredited the publishing outlet for its appalling and brazen falsehood to claim that essential services like health, water, sanitation, humanity and social services were neglected in the State, drawing 'The Investigator's attention to the eloquent testimonies in health, environment, humanitarian service, etc, through the intervention of the Otu-led administration.

The group which regretted the ethical and professional decline of media, who supposedly should be purveyors of society and harbingers of common man's hope, however advised the likes of 'The Investigator' to veer into development media practice, as negative reports and misrepresentation of facts, which have been its stock-in-trade are now outdated and, if not avoided, would soon relegate them into the world of media infamy.

The release concluded with a call on Media establishments to, at all costs, uphold the ethoses of the profession, as what is worth doing is worth doing well.