By ‘kanmi AKINLADE, Investigator Correspondent Northern Zone/
KOGI-THE Kogi state government has described as untrue viral video showing bags of rice given to the state as palliative to cushion the effect of present economic reality. Commissioner for Agriculture Hon. Timothy Ojomah in a statement refuting the claim said there were teams put in place to monitor the distribution of the bags of rice adding that the author of the video was out to give a dog bad name by hanging it.
He said, “The Kogi Stat Government strongly refutes the false claim made in a recent video that the bags of rice given to citizens as palliatives are being rebagged and sold in the market. This claim is misleading and entirely false. The rice palliatives are clearly branded and marked as “Not for Sale” Monitoring teams are in place to ensure proper distribution. We have investigated the claim and found no evidence to support it. The state government distributed palliatives before sallah which is over a month ago and numerous beneficiaries have come forward to attest to receiving the palliatives and expressed gratitude to His Excellency.
“The false claim is likely aimed at discrediting the government’s efforts to support citizens. We urge citizens to be cautious of misinformation and verify information through credible sources. We assure the public that the government of His Excellency, Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo has zero tolerance for any form of diversion of public facilities, especially as it concerns what is meant for the indigent and the downtroden which the palliatives are meant to serve. We will continue to monitor and address any misinformation aimed at undermining our efforts.”