Controversy As Akwa Ibom Govt Abandons $1.5 million Rotary Press

A Rotary Press worth over $1.5 million, acquired and installed seven years ago by former governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio for the Akwa Ibom Newspaper Corporation, publishers of Pioneer, appears to have been abandoned and left to rot away.
The Press consists of a Supra Setter A105 otherwise known as Computer To Plate (CTP) machine and a Goss Community Press with a web offset press with the capacity to print 17 colour pages, 32 black and white pages of newspaper and runs 500,000 impression per hour, while the CTP runs a resolution of 2,400 DPI.
The new press was to enable the Pioneer newspapers print in the state at a minimal cost and also undertake other commercial printing activities for both national and local newspapers , among others.
It was gathered that some national dailies had already indicated interest to print their newspapers at the press especially as it would enhance early arrival and circulation of the papers especially in the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones of the country.
But unfortunately, the machines which were installed and commissioned on May 28, 2015, and tested without following proper procedures by experts , were said to have packed up.
Ever since the press has been abandoned, covered by dust and cobwebs, while the complex housing the machines has remained under lock and key.
It was further gathered that the government is yet to officially hand over the press to the management of the newspapers corporation.
Former General Manager of Pioneer Newspapers, Mr. Silas Udo, who was in office when the press was installed, said the machines were not used by the Pioneer to print any paper, neither, was any member of staff trained on how to operate the machines, nor was it handed over to the Corporation by the supervising ministry, Ministry of Information and Strategy.
According to him, the procedural process of receiving the machines was not done because the necessary checklist to ascertain what the state government paid for, and what was sent by the manufacturers was not done.
He said, “The press was never used to print the Pioneer in my time. No Pioneer staff under my watch went for training anywhere to master the workings of the Press.
“Yes, we did not receive the press. It was a deliberate decision not to receive it as the procedural processes were not done or seen to be done. For example, the checklist to ascertain that what the government paid for, are what were sent by the manufacturers was not done.
“It would therefore have been against civil service procedure to sign a Stores Receipt Voucher (SRV). So unless this was done after I left service, the Press remained under the administration of the supervising Ministry.”
Udo reaction was corroborated by the then Production Manager of AKNC, Mr Idorenyin Umoren, who admitted being one of the committee members of AKNC Rotary Press Pre-shipment Inspection Committee announced by state government to visit Goss Community Press Company in Germany.
According to him, the committee was not inaugurated, and the inspection to the Goss Community Press Company in Germany, Hieldelberg, never happened.
He said they were only informed that the machines have arrived Uyo through Onne in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and that they were expected to receive them, saying no production staff of AKNC was trained on how to operate the machines.
Meanwhile, an industrial equipment marketer, Patrick Usen, who represented Hieldelberg in the project, blamed the Ministry of Information for the failure of the project, and called on the state government through the House of Assembly to dig into the circumstances which led to the installation and abandonment of the printing press.
Usen explained that the machines failed to work due to improper installation, saying the managers of the project did not follow the procedures necessary to set up a press.
He revealed that if the machines were properly commissioned, the representatives of Hieldelberg, Goss Graphics and himself, who facilitated the process from the purchase and shipment of the machines would have been available at the installation and commissioning.
He alleged that the then Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Elder Aniekan Umanah shielded him from the entire process and questioned the manner in which the machines were received, saying there was no confirmation of what was received vis-a-vis what was sent, adding that the auxiliary equipment which came with the machines such as forklift, rollers and major equipment for the smooth running of the machines were missing.
He narrated his experience , saying. “Governor Godswill Akpabio had excellent intentions for the State and Pioneer Newspaper in particular. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Information truncated that project. They should be held responsible. I don’t know where this enquiry will end, but I think that a Commission of Enquiry should be set up to probe the issue.
“That web offset press has not been received till today by Pioneer, that is, it has not been officially handed over by Goss Graphics to Pioneer because of the haphazard installation procedures. There was no adherence to good engineering practice of installation. They hurriedly put that up together and called the Governor, and I think the machine collapsed and failed there.
“There was no ink, no rolling papers, no printing plate needed to print for the Governor to see. All those things were not there, and the machine collapsed that day.”
Usen called for a technical audit of what was supplied, what was installed, and how it was installed, as well as possible errors with the installation processes so as to correct the abnormality that has kept the machines from working.
He lamented that the state government was yet to pay him his contract fees for the project, adding that he was willing to return for a proper installation of the machines if the government was willing.
He, however, warned that the Supra Setter A105 (Computer To Plate) machine may have to be upgraded as it may have outlived its lifespan of six years while laying idle.
“There must be a technical audit of what was supplied, what was installed, how it was installed and also find out if there were errors with the procedures of installation and realign the machine to start all over again.
“The lifespan of the Goss Graphics could be up to 50 years, but the Computer to Plate would last, let’s say for between five to six years. All you need is to change parts and upgrade,” he said.
Former Editor of the defunct Concord Newspapers, Nsikak Essien , an engineer who was appointed by the State Executive Council as the consultant to the project also alleged that the then commissioner for information, Mr. Aniekan Umana, now a member of the lower House of the National Assembly, never allowed the team to visit Germany as was initially planned.
” I was given the appointment by governor Godswill Akpabio as consultant to that project . Apart from the first meeting with Aniekan Umana, there was no other meeting as it is demanded in such project.
“The team was supposed to visit Germany where the machine was produced , record everything before it is brought to Nigeria, but Aniekan Umana processed our passports and that was the end of it till today. So, we did not visit Germany. We did not do anything. And I have not been paid till today”, he said.
However, efforts to speak with Honourable Umana who supervised the whole process of purchasing, installing and commissioning of the press was not successful as he did not respond to calls and inquiry.
The current Commissioner for Information and Strategy, comrade Ini Ememobong did not respond to calls either on the controversial press.
But the state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, comrade Sunny James while expressing dismay over the abandonment of the press, vowed that he would continue to advocate and engage the relevant authorities until it is revamped and put to use.
He spoke at the annual conference of trade Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper product workers to mark the 34th anniversary of the Pioneer newspapers , noting such a huge investment could generate funds for the state government and the corporation.