In a press statement issued today, Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West at the senate, sent a strong warning to the governor of Kogi State; Alhaji Yahaya Bello, telling him to stop his plan of selling monuments that belong to the state under the pretense of boosting the economy of the state.
In the statement, Melaye stated that “There is no gainsaying the fact that Kogi State is a civil service state. Although blessed with resources that remain untapped, the state has avoidably relies on allocations from Abuja to keep body and soul together over the years”.
“Despite a poor Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile occasioned by the foregoing coupled with bad governance syndrome, Kogi has remain one of the underdeveloped states of the federation irrespective of its natural endowments”.
He said it is unthinkable that the current state government under Governor Yahaya Bello will contemplate trading off what is left of Kogi’s glory for momentary financial gains under the pretext of bolstering the state’s finances.
“I therefore urge the Kogi State governor not to sell, as planned, the following edifices or legacies built by the past administrations in the Confluence State as doing so will portray Yahaya Bello as a prodigal son of the state”.
“The state properties/legacies are; Kogi House in Abuja, Mega Terminal Park, Kogi State Liaison Houses in Kaduna and Lagos, Commissioner Quarters, State Assembly Quarters, and Confluence Beach Hotel”.
“For the records, no past governor of Kogi State since inception contemplated selling the state’s monuments or properties like the ones listed above and as bequeathed by successive administrations, hence Bello must listen to the voice of reason otherwise his prodigal decision will be challenged in court by me as a representative of the people” Melaye warned.
