Monthly subventions to institute missing in Kogi

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has express dismay over the non-remittance of the monthly subvention he has been doling out to the Nigeria-Korea Friendship Institute.

The Governor who gave the indication during his maiden visit to the institute spoke against the backdrop of a complaint by the institute, Arome Gabriel, that for over one year and a half since the inauguration of the institute, it has received any impress.

Bello in a surprised tone asked whether the principal was not receiving monthly subvention, saying, “I have been approving this subvention and releasing it monthly.”

Bello, therefore, arrange for a meeting with the steering committee and the members of the steering committee of the institution and State Accountant General to ascertain the destination of the subvention.

The Governor requested to know the exact law that established the institute after which he would be able to look into request by the management for harmonization of their salary structure.

He commended the Koreans for the partnership that has saved the State the task of struggling to establish a skill acquisition centre of such standard.“My visit has afforded me the opportunity to see many wrong things that need to be corrected. We are going to take the institute very seriously, own it and ensure it is running smoothly,” he said.

According to him, the youths who roam the streets aimlessly can easily be engaged through the skills they can get from the institute.Bello promised to ensure that all vehicles of the State Government would be serviced and maintained at the institute’s automobile section.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Multilateral projects, Adoga Ibrahim said the institute would serve as the springboard for the industrialization of the State as a particular company has agreed to partner with the institute to start assembling car in Kogi State.

His words: “This facility is where we plan to start building the foundation for the State’s industrialization base. “This is where we will do most of our training. We have a Federal Government Program called market money, we are trying to develop over 10,000 cooperatives and part of it is the SME.”