The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Taraba Investment and Properties Limited, Mr. Iliya Ezekiel, has described as “blatant lie” a local-based newspaper publication that substandard materials were purchased and used for the roofing of 10 Green Houses that were destroyed by windstorm earlier in 2020.
Mr Ezekiel who spoke in Jalingo further described the allegation as “laughable and full of lies”.
He said the fund released by Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku was given to purchase items for the renovation of green house that blew off as a result of heavy windstorm, and pay some outstanding bills of the company.
“The allegation that I used the fund to purchase substandard materials is baseless, unfunded and lies that are carried by mischif makers,” he said.
He said what led to the protest by staff of the Green House was the strict control in line with the operations to stop fraudulent acts in areas of stealing, absenteeism among others.
He said, “Since the farm was handed over to us in the Investment house, we have worked hard and transformed the farm by adding value that today is contributing to the economy of the state.
“As we speak, we are now producing goods and selling same for our operations. Earlier this year, we had an outbreak of Covid-19 where we were unable to import.
“We also went all over in Nigeria and couldn’t get a standard plastics while our crops were being destroyed by rain until the GM/COO and his team contacted a supplier in Kano to produce what was used for the re-roofing of the Green House that was earlier destroyed by windstorm.”
According to him, there was another windstorm in the month of September where the roof was blown off and the GM/COO who is a foreigner contacted a trader in Greece to supply the plastics and the governor released the money but is yet to arrive due to foreign exchange from the central bank.
“We are at the moment trying to purchase ticker grade from Greece which will withstand heavy storm as the roofing plastics are not produced in Africa,” he added.
He said the Taraba vegetable has come to stay, and that no amount of criticism would make it not to do needful.
He further gave the publisher of the local paper known as Taraba Truth and Facts 24 hours to retrieve the publication or else face legal action.
