Oluwatosin EnesiThe State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, debunked the circulation of rumours of abandonment in a statement on Monday.
The commissioner said the state government had been spending between N15 million and N20 million weekly on accommodating and feeding the victims since Jan. 16 when the explosion occurred.
Describing the rumour as not only unfair and unnecessary but wicked, Oyelade said the government had picked up a medical bill of over N17 million while those still in hospitals were being actively catered for.
“As we speak, the government has spent over N160 million on accommodation and feeding alone for the victims who were immediately accommodated at hotels, and the 38 of them still residing in different hotels,” he said.
The commissioner also revealed that N2 million was being released weekly to security operatives to protect the property left behind by the victims.
On the report that some victims were ejected from their hotels, the commissioner said, “Nothing can be farther from the truth.
“One of the hotels at Idi-Ape informed their occupants they would like to fumigate their premises, and the government took it upon itself to immediately arrange transportation for the victims to be accommodated in another hotel at Jericho, together with members of their families.
“Government does not think making an issue of fumigating a facility is the correct thing to do because such exercise is routine and the prerogative of the hotel owners.”
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