The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has revealed on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’, that the Governors of the 36 States of the country, received N1 billion each from the President Muhammadu Buhari Federal Government, to cushion the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, earlier in the year,
The Governors were also said to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the World Bank, to receive the sum of N1.1 billion for the same purpose.
According to Governor Bello, on Tuesday, all the State Governors have since received the N1 billion from the Federal Government; however, he stated that he is the only State Governor who refused to sign the MoU with the World Bank, for the N1.1 billion.
Asked why he received the Covid-19 fund from the Federal Government, despite not initially believing in the virus, Governor Bello said: “Even though we did not have Covid-19 in Kogi State, we are equally affected; because our economy was equally affected, and Federal Government released that fund to assist every State, and we cannot reject it.”
He stated that he refused to sign the World Bank MoU, because it was a one-sided agreement or document.
“Go and check records. Kogi State is the only State that refused to sign that document for N1.1 billion, because I do not believe in Covid. N500 million has been disbursed, Kogi State did not receive, and I refused to receive, and I rejected it”, he said
The Kogi State Governor, debunked allegations that his government hoarded the CA-COVID relief packages in Lokoja, or anywhere in the State, as being rumoured.
The allegations, he said, were to discredit State Governors and the Federal Government.
More news later…
