NNN liabilities:
Emir Idris pledges to intervene

From SANI ALIYU, Zaria
Posted: Tuesday, July 26, 2011

THE Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris has promised to wade into the problems of the New Nigerian Newspapers Ltd by contacting the northern traditional rulers, and governors of the owner states.
Receiving the management team of the company led by the Managing Director Alhaji Tukur Abdulrahman at his palace yesterday in Zaria, the emir expressed concern over the situation of the company which he described as the newspaper that has northern Nigeria at heart falling into the financial problems.
Emir Idris promised to link up with the Federal Government on how liabilities of the company could be settled without further delay.
He assured the management that by God's grace, with their intervention, New Nigerian Newspapers will bounce back to reckoning and out of crisis.
Alhaji Shehu Idris asked the Managing Director to forward documented list of all the problems and requirements to him so that he can study and forward to the appropriate authorities at their next meeting coming up very soon.
The emir described the newspaper as highly educative and well-informed without bias on any of its reporting, particularly the issues of northern states.
The emir said, New Nigerian and Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo were his favourite amongst all the newspapers in the country, because of their objective reporting.
He appealed to northern leaders not to allow Sardauna's legacies to decay while waiting without giving support or assistance.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the New Nigerian Newspapers Alhaji Tukur Abdulrahman told the emir that out of the 19 northern state governors who promised to give 15 million Naira each only eight redeemed while 11 of them are yet to redeem the promises since 2009.
Alhaji Abdulrahman said despite all the hardship experienced by the company for years, still the workers have shown sympathy and loyalty by continuing to do their work for the progress of the company.
He told the emir that for the past seven months the company is unable to pay salary that is why he led the management to visit him and seek for his intervention.
On the working facilities, the Managing Director said the company needed total rehabilitation to be able to give its best in the development of the nation, which the New Nigerian Newspapers was known to have been doing right from the time it was established.
According to him, the problem now are beyond the company, appealing to all concerned to assist through their own ways.