‘It’s misrepresentation’ — Kogi says no plan to sell state assets to rebuild assembly complex

The Kogi government says the report that it is considering selling off state assets to fund the renovation of the state assembly complex is a “misrepresentation”.

Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi commissioner for information and communication, said this in a statement issued on Friday.

On October 10, parts of the Kogi house of assembly complex in Lokoja were gutted by fire.

Speaking on reports that the government planned to sell state assets to raise funds to rebuild the complex, Fanwo said the Kogi commissioner for finance, budget and economic planning said the decision will be taken if there is a need to do so.

“The media space has been awash with stories that our Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning said the State Government was considering selling some assets to rebuild the burnt Assembly Complex,” the statement reads.

“This is an unfortunate misrepresentation of what the Commissioner said at the event.

“The Commissioner said if there was a need to sell other Government properties to rebuild the Assembly, Government would gladly do that.

“It was a statement to underscore the importance our Administration attaches to the legislative arm of Government in the state. Twisting that to mean the Government is planning to sell the assets of the state to rebuild the complex is a sentimental knife in the heart of our transparency and accountability as an administration.

“No Government official said anything like what the media quoted the Commissioner to have said. It didn’t come from the Government or any official of the government.

“What was alleged to have been said is not the position of the State Government on the matter.”