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Press Statement by APC Chairman Kogi State Alhaji Haddy Amoto
Protocols.
The executives of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Kogi state chapter under my leadership as the chairman have watched with disdain, the activities of the accidental and totalitarian governor of Kogi state, Alh. Yahaya Bello.
I am deeply saddened that he is bringing untold hardship and pains on the people of the state through his many anti-people policies.
I want to set the record straight that Yahaya Bello was not part of the struggle of building and nurturing APC in Kogi state but circumstance gave him the opportunity to cash in on the labour of others. This explains why he is mismanaging the opportunity and turning governance to charade and kindergarten affairs in Kogi state thereby making people to lose confidence in our party.
When we campaigned round the 21 local governments areas of the state as a united party, we promised people change and better life, we promised a transparent government where all Kogites will have a sense of belonging, we promised the people that our government will pay salary and emoluments of civil servants as at when due, we promised the security of lives and property of citizens of the state, we promised to respect the fundamental human right of the people of the state but unfortunately, the government of Yahaya Bello does not represent the beautiful agenda of the APC in Kogi state.
When the indefatigable leader of our party, His Excellency, President Mohammadu Buhari introduced the whistle blowing policy, it was geared towards assisting the government to get valuable informations on the recovery of looted funds and assets belonging to the government. It is disheartening to hear that the Yahaya Bello led government is making mockery of the lofty idea in Kogi state by rewarding those giving information about the critics of his government under the disguise of whistle blower with the sum of five hundred thousand naira (N500,00) of tax payers money. This is certainly far from what whistle blowing concept is all about. The government of the day in Kogi state is oppressing and intimidating people who worked tirelessly for the victory of APC which he is enjoying today.
Recently, some elders from Kogi central were said to have been detained by Bello in government house for airing their views about the maladministration in the state. One of the victims, a former vice chairman of Okene Local government, Hon Usman Okorongo has been under detention in government house for some days now. I want to let the world know that Hon. Usman have some health challenges and we will hold Yahaya Bello responsible should anything happen to him. I keep wondering if the government house is now a police station where unjustified arrests are made and people will be arbitrarily detained.
We want to draw the attention of the Inspector General of Police and National Human Right Commission to this gross abuse of human right currently on going in Kogi state.
The security situation in the state which is at the lowest ebb ever, this is giving me a lot of concern and sleepless night. Unfortunately, a government that should be responsible for the protection of the lives and properties of her citizens is building a tall wall and gate around government house and environs and leaving the people of the state at the mercy of armed robbers and kidnappers. That is the height of insensitivity and irresponsibility on the part of government.
People are been kidnapped, killed and dispossessed of their belongings every day. Many civil servants who are lucky enough to receive one or two months’ salary since the inception of this government have lost their money to armed robbers. I am still wondering why the state government decided to forcefully open account for civil servants in a bank that have just one branch in the state. People will have to travel 5 hours before they can access their salary, a situation most of the workers described as frustrating.
The unending screening in the state has also put a lot of people at risk. Recently, some civil servants from Mopa Amuro local government who were travelling for screening were kidnapped on their way and one of them was killed in the process. We have also heard of people losing their lives in ghastly motor accident while going for the screening. There is even a new dimension to the security situation in the state where “armed robbers” now stop people going for screening and the only thing they demand for is the originals of their credentials. Those credentials were taken from the owner and burnt in most cases. This got me asking questions if the burning of people’s certificate is in anyway beneficial to the so called armed robbers. Many people who fall into this category have had their names removed from the employment list of the state government for their inability to present their original credentials.
The governor and his lying aides have told the world that they do not owe salary, some even swore by Allah to justify the false claim but as I speak with you now, all the schools, ministries and agencies of government in Kogi state are under locks and keys as the workers have gone on strike. Hunger, poverty and frustration has rising to an astronomical level in the state. Some people are been owed 13 months salaries, Pensioners have not received a kobo since this government came on board. Children of civil servants are dropping out of schools due to the inability of their parents to pay their school fees and businesses are relocating out of Kogi state as a result of low patronage.
It is important to mention that this government have received billions of naira as bailout fund, budget support fund, Paris club refund, statutory allocation and internally generated revenue and other intervention funds and multilateral donations and yet there is nothing to show for it except poverty and hunger while the governor and his aides display opulence and recklessness amidst scarcity and want by the people of the state.
I want to use this opportunity to call on the Presidency and the national leadership of our party the APC to call Bello to order by ensuring he pay off all pension and salary arrears and stop him from harassing and intimidating members of our party.
Signed: Alh Haddy Amoto
Kogi APC state chairman.
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