BREAKING NEWS, Media
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Garba Deen Muhammad, president, Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, explains why former President Goodluck Jonathan donated N50 million to the guild during a fund raising dinner in 2014
THE Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, has explained why the federal government led by President Goodluck Jonathan donated N50 million in 2014 to the guild. According to Garba Deen Muhammad, president of the NGE, on April 10, 2014, the guild held a fundraising dinner at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, to raise N850m (eight hundred and fifty million Naira) for the purpose of building a befitting secretariat in Abuja which shall be called The Editors Plaza. The fund raising was a public event attended by several dignitaries among them federal cabinet ministers, state governors and captains of industry or their representatives.
Jonathan, who was invited was represented by Labaran Maku, former minister of information and national orientation. Maku, among other donors, publicly pledged N50 million as the federal government’s contribution towards the building project. Indeed the announcement of this donation has been on the website of the NGE since April 12, 2014; and is still there for those who may wish to verify, the statement said.
“Shortly after the event, the federal government redeemed its pledge through a transfer direct into the Zenith bank account of the NGE. For the avoidance of doubt, neither Mr. Femi Adesina, who was the President of the Guild at the time nor any other official of the Guild collected cash from the government as has been erroneously alleged by Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, publisher of THISDAY newspapers in a letter he sent to the EFCC and made public on Monday, January 4, 2016.
“Funds collected by the Guild during the fundraiser have so far been invested in two projects viz: (I) The purchase of a property in Lagos which we have named The Editors House and is located at No. 24, Mojidi Street, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja-Lagos. And (II) Paying compensation, clearing and fencing of our 5, 600 Sqm piece of land at Guzape, Abuja, which is the site of the proposed Editors Plaza.
He said that in Lagos, the NGE has since commissioned a team of engineers and architects for the purpose of renovating the property, a twin duplex, preparatory to our moving in hopefully in the first quarter of 2016; while in Abuja, we have already commenced the process of obtaining a building permit from the authorities of the FCT preparatory to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Editors Plaza building later in the year 2016.
“It is regrettable that an earlier statement by the Guild on the anti-corruption war of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari may not be unconnected with recent attempts to drag the Guild into matter in which it has no case to answer whatsoever.
“The Guild wishes to thank the public and all those who have stood by it over the years, including its founding fathers and those media organizations that took time to check the claim with the leadership of the NGE and reported their findings accurately and assures the public and all stakeholders that it would continue to remain a responsible and accountable professional group,” said Muhammad.
— Jan 7, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT
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