NPAN: Compensation cheques for Tribune, Peoples Daily ‘waiting for collection’

The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has reacted to the claims of Nigerian Tribune, Peoples Daily and New Telegraph newspapers that they did not receive any compensation from the body over the disruption of their circulation by the military in 2014.

In a letter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had summoned him, Nduka Obaigbena, president of the association and chairman of THISDAY, had said he received N120 million on behalf of 12 newspapers.

Subsequently some of the newspapers denied getting any compensation from the money.

Reacting to their claim, NPAN issued a statement on Saturday.

“Our attention has been drawn to statements issued last night by claiming that they did not receive the compensation for the military disruption of circulation of newspapers by the federal government,” the statement read.

“It should be recalled that the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) executive council  meeting of March 17, 2015, held at the offices of Daily Trust, Abuja, resolved to accept the N120million compensation and passed two other resolutions thereto:

“(1) that each member- organisation accepts to donate N1million from the compensation to the association for the up-keep of the secretariat;

“(2) that members should bring their membership account current, by paying all past dues to the secretariat before collecting their cheques.

“The cheques for the Nigerian Tribune and Peoples’ Daily remain in the secretariat awaiting collection.

“In the case of New Telegraph, the secretariat was confronted with a situation where 13 newspapers made claims while compensation for 12 newspapers was made. Blueprint Newspapers which was inadvertently omitted from the list has since been paid.

“When New Telegraph now demanded payment that had been collected by Blueprint Newspapers, the secretariat then brought the matter to the attention of the of the president, Nduka Obaigbena, who then called Governor Orji Kalu , the publisher of both The Sun Newspapers (who had been paid) and The New Telegraph (which has not been paid), to urge him to be patient for the matter to be tabled at the next executive council meeting, where he would seek the approval of the EXCO to take the funds earmarked for the secretariat to pay them.”