The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has debunked an alleged report of contracting the Covid-19 virus.
A purported report by an online news media alleging that the minister is currently in an isolation center receiving treatment is false, hence he has no trace of the Covid-19 virus in a statement signed by the Special Assistant To The President (Media) Office of the Minister of Information and Culture Segun Adeyemi, Lagos 26 Dec. 2021 says “That report, which was first published by an online newspaper and then latched on to by some mainstream lapdog media, once again highlights the uphill task we face in our campaign is to stamp out fake news and misinformation. Stressing that “A journalism mantra when in doubt, leave it out”
The minister while quoting the code of ethics for journalists said they are “The basic principles of truthfulness and accuracy, among others,” adding that The report in question did not meet those standards.
The statement further reviews that the “Minister was at the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, an extraordinary FEC meeting on Thursday and also witnessed the swearing-in of the Minister of State for Works and Housing on Friday as well as the post-FEC press briefing on Wednesday and Thursday coordinated by the Minister in the Villa”
He stresses that these events had media representatives, hence “Could he have done this from the imaginary isolation center where he was consigned by a mischievous reporter?
Lai noted that “As a member of the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19, he would not have hesitated to publicly announce his Covid-19 status if indeed he has contracted the virus” adding that “After all, he is not only fully vaccinated, he has also taken the booster shot, a situation that offers him different layers of protection even if he contracts the virus” while emphasizing that those who contracted the virus deserve empathy and prayers, not stigmatization.
Thus urging the online newspaper behind this fake news to apologize to the Minister for causing him such embarrassment as well retract the publication as it is In the best tradition of journalism.
