Journalists who covered last Saturday’s empowerment programme organized by the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, have raised concerns over alleged refusal of the organisers to pay media coverage allowances after the event.
The empowerment programme which took place in Kano was attended by journalists from various print, broadcast and online media organisations who were officially invited to report the distribution of empowerment items to beneficiaries.
However, Blazon News Nigeria gathered that at the end of the programme, journalists were allegedly informed to expect their logistics or honorarium to be paid latest by Monday but turn out to be a deceit.
Some of the affected journalists, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the development as disappointing and unprofessional.
“We were duly invited and we carried out our duties professionally. At the end of the event, we were told to hold on till Monday ,” one reporter said.
As at the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain reactions from the Minister’s Chief of Staff, Abdullahi Isah Kauranmata was unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to him remained unanswered.
“It’s deliberate, it has been one excuse to another since last Saturday. I don’t think Hajiya Mariya is aware of this and that is why she needs to know. We were at the venue from 9am till almost 7pm and this is what we get in return”, another journalist added.