Oyo State Independent Monitoring Group (OYSIMG) has condemned an article titled “OYSADA, the Cabal, and Wasted Billions” published by Western Daily News and Oyoecho.

According to the Head of Investigation Unit at OYSIMG, Mr. Kayode Adegoke, the article is a concocted, misleading, and spurious attempt by unscrupulous individuals to discredit the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) and its Director-General, Dr. Debo Akande.

Mr. Adegoke revealed that OYSIMG had deployed a team of investigative personnel to conduct detailed and thorough investigations based on the ethics of professionalism. He added that it is important to set the record straight, as the job of any responsible journalist is to investigate, produce, and distribute reports of events or incidents based on fact and supported with proof or evidence and not on petition.

Adegoke stressed that the findings of their independent investigations prove that the information published by the online platforms is completely baseless and untrue. He further stated that the article was published for pecuniary gains rather than professionalism and deviates from the core values of unbiased reporting. He confirmed that the headline of the article is an attempt to dent the character of Dr. Debo Akande and others mentioned in the malicious article.

OYSADA was established in April 2020 to facilitate private sector investment in the agricultural sector. The agency trained about 3,300 youths in sustainable agribusiness under the Youth Empowerment Agribusiness Program (YEAP), which has been largely successful. An investigation conducted by OYSIMG confirms that 600 youth have been empowered upon completion of the program, contrary to the insinuation reported by Western Daily News and Oyoecho that the youths have been left to carry their crosses. Some of the youths have been empowered in various agribusiness programs with incentives to assist them in establishing their ventures.

Adegoke debunked the unsubstantiated claim by the Western Daily News and Oyoecho, following the findings of the independent investigation team that swung into action and carried out a thorough underground investigation to unravel the veracity or otherwise of the purported article.

He stated that the originators of the article are saboteurs who are envious of the progress achieved by OYSADA. Their intention was to create the imaginary impression that the agency is a colossal failure. He disclosed that OYSIMG is an independent watchdog that has carried out an unbiased investigation, and what they verified remains sacrosanct.

Furthermore, there is no case of financial mismanagement, corruption, or waste against Dr. Debo Akande or the agency. Adegoke affirmed that OYSADA’s records are clean, without financial shenanigans and misappropriation. The agency’s reputation cannot be maligned by any group of individuals in any form. He added that Governor Makinde’s administration is proud of the activities of the agency since its inception.

He also pointed out that background checks has proven Dr. Debo Akande to be a man of honour, value, and integrity, and he actually lives by these principles. He possesses excellent qualities for ensuring the value of honesty and selfless service to the people of Oyo State.

The article published by Western Daily News and Oyoecho is a distortion of facts, laced with blatant lies and misrepresentation without an iota of the truth. The intention was to feed the public misinformation capable of causing discord and suspicion. According to Adegoke, the publisher of the malicious article failed to do their jobs thoroughly before playing the script of their paymasters without verifying the authenticity of the article.

It is certain that more gains are to be recorded as Governor Makinde’s administration gears up for Omituntun 2.0: Sustainable Development, which will ensure more economic growth and a dividend of democracy for the people of Oyo State.

Journalism is a profession that requires strict adherence to professional ethics, including accurate and unbiased reporting. It is imperative that news outlets such as the Western Daily News and Oyoecho prioritise the delivery of factual information, backed by evidence, to prevent misleading the public. Failure to do so can have dire consequences, including damaging people’s reputation.

The importance of carrying out due diligence in reporting cannot be overstated, and it is essential that media outlets like Western Daily News and Oyoecho uphold professional standards to remain credible and relevant in the journalism industry, he added.

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