The Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has ordered the suspension of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Omoun Perez over allegations of misappropriation of funds allocated for a greenhouse project.
Penpushing reports that the Secretary to the State Government, Kingsley Emu made this known in a statement, adding that the Governor has equally set up a seven-man committee to investigate the allegations.
The Governor in a related development directed top officials of the Ministry which include the Permanent Secretary, Bennet Agamah, Assistant Director, Agricultural Engineering, Oki Yintareke, and Chief Accountant, Gabriel Idiatacheko to proceed on compulsory leave until further notice.
Penpushing further reports that the statement stated that the directive followed the outcome of the review of the implementation of the greenhouse project by the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural resources,
‘The government’s decision is in no way a presumption of guilt but rather a necessary measure to uphold the sanctity of the investigative process already instituted which is to ensure that investigation is concluded without any potential for undue influence or bias’, Emu said.
Penpushing also reports that it is recalled that in January the Governor inspected the Accelerated Agriculture Development Scheme at Mbiri Farm Settlement and Agro-Industrial Park, Aboh-Ogwashi in Ika North-East and Aniocha South Local Government Areas of the State, with a promise to disburse N2 billion to farmers within the month in Special Agricultural Intervention Fund.
The Mbiri Farm Settlement, is said to houses 30 greenhouses for cultivation of tomatoes and other vegetables while the Aboh-Ogwashi is for milling of rice and other grains processing, while the Governor assured residents that he would continue to improve on the agriculture value chain to ensure food security and job creation in the state.
Penpushing reports that the project, located at Ukala in Okpuno, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state was done in collaboration with the World Bank, involved a cluster of 10 greenhouses for vegetable farming, and was unveiled by Oborevwori’s predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa.
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