DISCLAIMER
The attention of the Association Of Community Newspapers Publishers, ACNPN, was recently drawn to some visitations by the SSA (Senior Special Assistant) to the Delta State Governor on Community Newspapers, Mr. Prince Orhomokpaye, to some prominent Public Office holders and distinguished Deltans, during which he was accompanied by certain persons mischievously and deceitfully described as “Publishers of Community Newspapers”.
On closer scrutiny of the identities of the members of his delegation, we discovered to our chagrin, that these persons so described as “Publishers of Community Newspapers” were at best, known Journalists and Reporters, writing for some mid-level Online News portals and platforms which are neither affiliated to nor registered as Community Newspapers and therefore, have no ties with ACNPN whatsoever.
Members of ACNPN, disturbed by this dubious activity of the SSA to the State Governor (Community Newspapers), Mr. Prince Orhomokpaye and having taken due cognizance of the immediate and wider implications of impersonating the Association in his visits, arrived at the following resolutions:
- While we do not begrudge Mr. Orhomokpaye his right to undertake any visitation in his capacity as SSA to the Governor on Community Newspapers, we however seriously frown at and take great exception to his fraudulent action of visiting innocent public office holders and prominent citizens in the state, with a delegation masquerading as Community Newspapers Publishers and impersonating ACNPN, with the objective and motive of attaching some credibility to his delegation and subsequently exhorting huge financial largess and pecuniary gratification from his unsuspecting hosts, who have severally fallen for this fraudulent scam.
- We want to categorically state that as the substantive and duly recognized umbrella body of Community Newspapers Publishers in the State, the ACNPN has never been informed or invited by any official correspondence from the SSA, Mr. Orhomokpaye, to either join him or participate in any of his courtesy visits. We therefore strongly dissociate the ACNPN from his fraudulent activities and state clearly for the avoidance of doubt, that the persons in his delegation to such visits are neither publishers of any community newspapers in the state, nor members of the ACNPN, Delta state chapter.
- This DISCLAIMER is therefore to caution Mr. Prince Orhomokpaye to desist forthwith from the fraudulent penchant of impersonating and associating Delta Community Newspapers Publishers in whatever subsequent courtesy visits he intends to embark on with the obvious intent to achieve some quick financial gains. He is seriously warned to stop tarnishing the image and credibility of ACNPN in the state with such visits.
We also urge his next unsuspecting hosts to formally demand, by way of appropriate and mandatory introductions, the proper designations in the ACNPN leadership, of those in Mr. Orhomokpaye’s delegation claiming to be Community Newspapers Publishers,in order to establish the authenticity of their claims.
Please be informed that the ACNPN will not be part of any courtesy visit without the physical presence of it’s state Chairman, or at least, a couple of members of it’s Executive Council, to properly represent the umbrella body of Community Newspapers Publishers in the state in such an official engagement.
We hereby urge top public and political office holders, elected or appointed, as well as other distinguished Deltans, who will be the next likely targets, to beware of hosting or entertaining any group claiming to be Community Newspapers Publishers.
The SSA to the Governor, Mr. Prince Orhomokpaye, can embark on such visits in his official capacity as an appointee of the state government, but should desist henceforth, from parading himself with persons masquerading as and impersonating Community Newspapers Publishers in his fraudulent and nefarious escapades.
