6 January 2020
PRESS RELEASE
Our attention has been drawn to media reports claiming that PZ Wilmar and its subsidiary Biase Plantations Limited are under an investigation by the Cross River State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources following petitions filed by the host communities.
The House of Assembly wishes to state that it is not in receipt of any official correspondence from the host communities on the said matter, therefore, such publication is unsubstantiated, misleading and defamatory.
The House Committee visited Biase Plantations Limited and host communities as part of its statutory oversight functions. The Company, PZ Wilmar and its subsidiaries (Biase Plantations Limited and Eyop Industries Limited are fully operating within the state extant laws in the discharge of its duties as major processor and merchandiser of palm and lauric oils.
However, The House of Assembly is worried about journalists and media houses going to print with information without first obtaining a balance view whereas the House information unit is always available to respond to any enquiries by members of the public and the media.
The publication was full of fabrication and inaccuracies. Ordinarily this would have been best ignored. We are however constrained to write to respond on account of the severe implications of the allegations for the integrity of the House of Assembly, as an institution.
This current administration is geared towards industrialization that will stimulate economic independence of the state with particular interest in Agro-industrialization and providing an enabling environment for investors, therefore, any damaging false information in the public domain could have a material impact on the state industrialization drive.
We therefore demand an immediate retraction of the report and urge media houses to refrain and/or desist from further publication in the future, without first verifying the accuracy of such facts.
Signed:
Hope Obeten
S.A Media/Chief Press Secretary, Office of the Speaker, Cross River State House of Assembly
6th January, 2019
