Kogi State Government on Monday strongly refuted the claim made in a recent video that the bags of rice given to citizens as palliatives are being rebagged and sold in the market.
Debunking the allegation in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon Timothy Ojomah, the state government said the claim is misleading and entirely false.
According to him, “The rice palliatives are clearly branded and marked as ‘Not for Sale’ and 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 downtrodden which the palliatives are meant to serve. We will continue to monitor and address any misinformation aimed at undermining our efforts.”
