PAP refutes online publication alleging corruption in its Finance and audit department
The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has refuted a publication by an online Publication PMEXPRESS alleging brazing corruption in its Finance and Audit department.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Interim Administration on Media and publicity Mr. Thomas Peretu described ’ the publication as spurious, with the intention to dent the reputation of the programme.
The statement warned the author of the publication to retract and apologies or face legal action,
The Statement read in part
“The attention of the management of Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has been drawn to a spurious story published on the 3rd of January 2023 by PMEXPRESS, an online publication.
“The author of the unsubstantiated story, one Aisha Abubakar alleged that some staff members of the finance and audit departments are involved in mind boggling corrupt practises through what she called “Advance
“Payment” despite the new Interim Administrator’s concerted efforts to stamp out corruption in the system.
“The story entitled, “Presidential Amnesty Programme still a cesspool of mind-boggling corruption” was nothing but a figment of the author’s imagination.
“From all indications, the misguided reporter was on a mission to dent the image of the programme.
“We are at loss to understand what the writer means by Advance Payment (AP) and how it is being used to perpetrate fraud in the system.
“It is unfortunate that the reporter did not substantiate her bogus claims with verifiable evidence of corruption in the programme.
“The story is diversionary and totally at variance with the good traditions of journalism.
“We challenge the reporter or her co-travellers to provide proof of her claim with facts and figures of such ” “mind boggling” underhand dealings.
“We hereby, demand an unreserved public apology from the reporter and the PMEXPRESS for misleading the public.
“The management of the PAP may be constrained to take a legal action to redeem its image.
“The author of report and the PMEXPRESS are hereby given 7 working days from today, Thursday 5th January 2023 to retract the story, and render public apology to PAP or be faced with a legal action.
“In the mean time, we enjoin the public to discountenance the said report because it lacks merit and does not represent the real picture of activities at the PAP.: