THE Ondo state government-owned Owena Press Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Kayode Fasua, has dismissed allegations of shielding staff with falsified ages and the alleged disappearance of company vehicles, describing them as “careless lies fabricated by envious detractors.”
Fasua, who took over the leadership of Owena Press Limited — publishers of The Hope newspaper — in October 2024, said in a statement issued in Akure on Sunday that his focus remains on revamping the state-owned media house in line with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s directive.
“I couldn’t have shielded age or certificate falsifiers because I willingly set up an age verification panel to investigate such cases. Nobody coerced me into it,” he stated.
He explained that the seven-member panel, made up of four external experts and three in-house technical assistants, screened all 95 staff members last May and submitted its report after two months.
Management, he added, has since been conducting further investigations to verify discrepancies in documents.
Fasua confirmed that the Ondo State anti-graft commission had invited him for clarifications following a petition but stressed that he provided full cooperation.
On the claim that two Hilux vans went missing, Fasua said:
“That allegation is not only false but criminal. When I assumed office, I met one badly damaged Hilux. It was later evacuated to the government’s pool of grounded vehicles. We have documentary evidence to prove this.”
He further noted that since his appointment, the company has achieved significant milestones:
Revived its printing press, ending reliance on external printing.
Restored a grounded staff bus and put another vehicle under repair.
Expanded The Hope from a once-a-week hardcopy to include a weekend edition.
Launched The Hope Magazine and introduced a daily digital frontpage, which now attracts an average of 50,000 early-morning readers.
“These modest strides are on record, and they speak louder than the falsehoods being peddled,” Fasua concluded.
