The management of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs has faulted about a story in some online platforms alleging that contracts awarded for the installation of solar streetlights in Adamawa were not executed by the contractors.
According to the SDGs Office, the story was written without due verification by the reporter of his facts, even when he was given opportunity to do so
“For the avoidance of doubts, OSSAP-SDGs wishes to state emphatically that contrary to the fake news by the publication, the contract was fully and duly executed with strict adherence to due process and for the benefit of the good people of Adamawa,” the SDGs Office said in a statement on Saturday by its spokesperson, Rotimi Ajayi.
“Indeed, when the reporter contacted the Office, the project and media officers volunteered to take him on a physical inspection of the projects and their locations. But he claimed that he was busy and will not be able to go on the inspection, perhaps because he had already made up his mind on carrying out a hatchet job.
“On his request, the Office forwarded about 150 pictures of the completely installed streetlights and their locations to him. But the publication would rather choose to attribute the streetlights to a certain serving Senator without necessary verification,” OSSAP-SDGs said.
It added that the report therefore is at best a hatchet job and a very malicious attempt to rubbish the good image of the Office.
“The publication and its reporter obviously set out for mischief and blackmail against the noble tenets of journalism in the way they have handled this report,” Ajayi added in the statement.