We won’t misuse Kogi oil money -Yahaya Bello

…Denies freezing of state salary accounts by EFCC

By Egena Sunday Ode

As Kogi joins the League of oil producing states, its governor, Yahaya Bello, said the state would avoid the mistakes of the past by using the resources that would accrue from oil to diversify into other areas of revenue generation, especially agriculture.
The governor stated this in an interview with newsmen after a meeting between him and President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
“The fact that we are oil producing today, I want to assure all the citizens of Kogi state and Nigerians that the mistake that we made in the past where Nigeria depended on oil alone, as a source of revenue today, will not be repeated. Whatever is going to be accruing to Kogi state will be used to support all other sectors, the Agric sector, manufacturing, and several other sectors of our economy to ensure that it is going to serve as a a catalyst. It’s not going to be just the only single means upon which we shall depend, no. We will not make that mistake,” the governor said.
He, however, described reports of freezing of the state salary bailout account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) phantom and a joke taken too far.
Contrary to the reports, according to him, none of the state accounts was frozen or embargoed by the EFCC.
Bello said anyone who wanted to attack him with a view to demeaning his integrity because of 2023 is making a big mistake, vowing that he came to government with a good name and would leave with it intact.
He said: “No Kogi state government’s salary account is frozen. None whatsoever. None of our accounts were frozen or embargo placed on any of our accounts by EFCC at all. I think it’s just a misrepresentation of facts or is a joke taken too far.
“My Information Commissioner and all those that are concerned with those lies peddled by the EFCC, I think they have responded appropriately. And I will urge every Nigerian to please go to the Kogi state website and all the facts are there.
“The Banks have denied that we don’t have such an account. And besides that, the bailout fund that we obtained, we appropriated in line with the agreement and understanding between the Kogi state government and the workers.
“And all of these were done, we finished all of these, you know, in the year 2019. So first, there’s no N20 billion account, or N19 billion arrears, no fixed deposit account. So I don’t know where the lie is coming from.
“I think in the days ahead, you will hear exactly where the matter shall be resolved. That’s why I said that is a joke taken too far. And I want to believe that the officials of the EFCC may have misled the commission.
“Remember that we will not just allow this to lie low because Mr. President is fighting corruption. And EFCC is one of the agencies that is being used to fight corruption. EFCC should not be seen to be going on a voyage of no discovery in order that the reputation of the commission and integrity of this particular government remains intact.

On why he came to see the president, the governor said: “I came to see our father, Mr. president to appreciate him on behalf of the good people of Kogi state that today, Kogi is the first northern Nigeria state to be referred to as oil producing states. We came to appreciate Mr. President, for that magnanimity, and also to congratulate the people of Kogi state, and Nigerians, generally.

“We equally brought a request to the effect that the Ajaokuta steel company is still moribund. And his efforts in ensuring that he revives Ajaokuta steel complex. We submit a submission to the effect that he should in the life of his administration, be able to complete that Ajaokuta complex.

“And Mr. President received all of these and more with pleasure and he promised that something is going to be done to ensure that Ajaokuta is revived and running before the end of this administration.”