The Ebonyi South Youths Assembly (ESYA) has dismissed a newspaper report alleging that N50 billion earmarked for the Ebonyi Air Project had disappeared, describing the publication as speculative, misleading and lacking credible evidence.
In a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Odii Njoku, on Friday, the group criticised The Punch over a report authored by its Ebonyi State Correspondent, Edward Nnachi, alleging that funds meant for the aviation project were missing.
ESYA said the publication was “nothing but a poorly packaged propaganda document carefully assembled from unverified allegations, social media rumours, partisan opinions and recycled opposition narratives without any credible documentary evidence to substantiate the sensational headline.”
The group expressed disappointment that a national newspaper allegedly abandoned “the basic principles of journalism including fairness, balance, objectivity, verification and accuracy” by relying on claims from opposition politicians and social media commentators instead of verifiable evidence.
“It is unfortunate that the correspondent chose to amplify accusations instead of facts,” the statement read.
According to the youth group, aviation projects are long-term investments that require regulatory approvals, technical evaluations, procurement procedures and compliance with institutional frameworks before implementation can be completed.
“The Ebonyi Air initiative is a strategic investment intended to position Ebonyi State as an emerging economic hub. Like every major aviation project across the world, implementation follows clearly defined stages. The absence of public ceremonies or media publicity does not amount to evidence that public funds have disappeared,” it stated.
ESYA further argued that the report repeatedly relied on phrases such as “alleged disappearance,” “reportedly spent,” “critics claimed” and “political observers questioned,” which, according to the group, demonstrated the speculative nature of the publication.
The group also maintained that no documentary evidence from budget records, procurement documents, audit reports or anti-corruption agencies was presented to support the allegation that the funds had been diverted or stolen.
“The Ebonyi South Youths Assembly finds it irresponsible that a publication of such magnitude was released without concrete proof that any money was missing or misappropriated,” the statement added.
Defending Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s administration, ESYA said the government had continued to invest in road infrastructure, healthcare, education, industrialisation, housing, agriculture, youth empowerment, water supply and social welfare under its People’s Charter of Needs Agenda.
The group said, “These visible achievements cannot suddenly be erased by speculative publications built on political assumptions.”
It further alleged that some journalists had become “willing tools in the hands of desperate opposition elements whose only mission is to discredit every developmental effort of the present administration.”
The assembly called on the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Press Council (NPC), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and other professional bodies to intensify ethical training for journalists, warning against the growing trend of publishing unverified allegations.
It urged The Punch to strengthen its editorial processes by ensuring that reports involving allegations are supported by verifiable facts and official responses.
“The first obligation of the profession is to truth, not political interests,” the statement said.
ESYA reaffirmed its confidence in Governor Nwifuru’s commitment to transparency, accountability and sustainable development, urging residents of the state to disregard what it described as speculative reports and continue supporting the administration’s development agenda.