The committee set up by the Edo government to recover government assets says over 200 vehicles belonging to the state are missing.
The chairman of the committee Kelly Okungbowa shared the information with journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital on Friday.
He said three of these vehicles have been recovered less than a day after the group was inaugurated.
Okungbowa assured the Edo people that the committee was determined to recover the missing government vehicles.
According to him, bags of rice and garri meant to be palliatives from the Federal Government for the people of the state were discovered in one of the three vehicles recovered.
Governor Monday Okpebholo – of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and who recently took over from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government – had set up the committee on Thursday to recover all government vehicles said to be in private custody.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing as those in the custody of the vehicles have refused to return them. The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands,” Okungbowa said during the inauguration of the committee.
“I am the chairman while my vice is the former speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly EDHA, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror. We have our members across the three Senatorial Districts in Edo State and we are ready to do the job, abiding by the law.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government.
“We have two weeks to carry out this task and as I speak to you, we already have some vital information regarding some persons who are still holding government vehicles. We will do the job according to the law and the State government and the people will be happy. You can reach us on 08110165121”