The public, security agencies, the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Nigeria Guild of Editors have been alerted to a calculated, well-funded and oiled campaign of calumny, blackmail and disinformation against the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and some of its officials.
The NPA warned the peddlers of the godless campaign to desist forthwith, describing it as an attempt to cause bad blood, create confusion and possibly the breakdown of law and order at the ports.
The management of NPA said this in a statement by Josephine Moltok, the General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications emailed to Persecondnews.
According to her, latest finding shows that the desperate individuals have also added forgery to their devious act by superimposing the logo and seal of the NPA on letterheads to deceive the unsuspecting public of contracts allegedly awarded to some unknown companies and entities.
“The NPA has a defined bidding process in line with extant rules and regulations regarding procurement and contract awards.
“NPA wishes to warn the peddlers of the godless campaign to desist forthwith and has alerted security agencies to this attempt to cause bad blood, create confusion and possibly the breakdown of law and order at the ports.
“Over the past few days, some nebulous, shadowy and penny-for-hire groups without due registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) hiding under the toga of civil society groups have embarked on issuing distorted press statements, arranging press briefings in dingy motels and inducing phoney online outlets to publish outright lies, absolute falsehoods and defamatory articles against the NPA and its management.
“These groups and individuals are also regurgitating dubious petitions and sending to various government agencies and posting same on social media to discredit some personnel of the NPA management.
“Over the years, the NPA, especially under the leadership of Mohammed Koko Bello, has as its watchword – transparency, accountability and integrity.
“We further enjoin media organisations like the Nigeria Union of Journalists and Nigeria Guild of Editors to advise its members not to fall prey to these unscrupulous individuals and revert their minds to the ethical and professional demands of accuracy, balance, fairness and social responsibility,” the statement also said.
It, however, restated NPA management’s commitment to improved trade facilitation, revenue generation and unprecedented remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).
“And this is in tune with President Bola Tinubu’s foreign direct investment (FDI) drive of which the ports are a key component.”
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