Right of Reply: Governor Lalong’s Cousin Was Never Involved In Fertilizer Supply Contract–Concern Plateau Youths

We the Concern Plateau Youths has read with dismay the publication in the 24th April, 2017 edition of Universal Reporters, an online newspaper. The publication was titled: “How Governor Lalong’s Cousin, Allegedly Became Millionaire Overnight, Built Two Massive Mansions Within Two Months After Handling Contract For The 2016 Fertilizer Supply.”

We want to place on record that at no time has the Governor’s cousin had any link with supply of fertilizer. We also want to state that the question of linking the governor cousin with issue of the fertilizer supplied and its disappearance in 2016 which this medium earlier reported that it was allegedly given to a cousin of the Governor from Shendam Local Government to supply fertilizers to all the 17 Local Government Areas of the State is not true.

We are calling on plateau citizens to know that none of the Governor’s relations was allowed to handle the supply of any contract since this government came on board.

It is also incorrect to state that the Governor’s cousin handled the 2016 contract for the supply of fertilizers to farmers across the 17 Local Governments as it is on record that no fertilizers were diverted and there were no fertilizer that was sold to private individuals.

The Government of Lalong has always maintained that and assured the people of Plateau of his transparency, accountability towards handling of properties and wellbeing of the citizens.

We were however surprised to wake up to the false and misleading headline on the 24^th April, 2017 claiming that the cousin built his house within months, we want to state that his house in Shendam which is private residence, was an accommodation which took him several years to build.

We see this report as an imagination of some mischief makers who are plotting to attract unnecessary sympathy to themselves and their supporters.

We are calling on the general public to disregard the publication which is baseless in its entirety, as it is an unfounded rumour aimed to bring disrepute on the integrity of Governor Simon Bako Lalong and his government.

The Governor Simon Lalong led administration is working hard to restore the lost glory of Plateau state as he has disdain and hatred for corruption, this is seen in his quest for zero tolerance to corruption and as such he will never allow such diversions under his government.

The Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has always sing the song of corruption of not having any place in his government, this account for the reason why he set up a panel of inquiry to probe his predecessors’ government.

The Plateau Concern Youths has view with dismay that the said information is malicious and it was conscripted by cheap blackmailers to cause hatred between the governments and to distract him from forging ahead with his corruption fight in Plateau.

There are no truth in the medium’s publication where it said that the Lalong’s government, fight against corruption may after all be a hoax, we are debunking this because the fight against corruption by this government is at the center stage of this government.

We are also stating that apart from the Governor’s cousin working closely with the immediate past Speaker, Rt Hon Titus Alam, he maintained very clean records of prudence and accountability while as a junior staff in the office of the former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Baba Hassan.

Signed

Hoomkwap Henry Matthew

Chairman