The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Plateau State under the administration of former Governor Jonah Jang sold seven state-owned filling stations to private individuals.

Dauda Gashi, the Director of Commerce in the Plateau State Ministry of Commerce, made the disclosure on Thursday.
Gashi made the statement when he appeared before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry constituted by Governor Simon Lalong to probe the activities of government between May 2007 and May 2015.

The commission was constituted in August this year.

Gashi told the commission that some of the filling stations were sold for N2 million, while others were sold for N1 million.
He said that several individuals in the state indicated interest when the tender and
advertisement for the sale of the filling stations were made public.

He said that the petrol stations, which are located in Langtang, Dengi, Pankshin, Barkin Ladi, Mangu, Bassa and Wase, were leased over a period of time and were eventually sold in 2014.

The director, however, did not present documents that gave approval for the sale of the stations before the commission.
Counsel to the Commission, Obende Sunday, said that the ministry, which has several projects and properties, did not indicate the revenue generated from such properties, in the period under review.

He listed the projects to include Tomato Processing Plant in Dorowa, two Fertilizer Plants in Barkin Ladi and Bokkos, Plateau Ceramic Company and Kabong Main Market.
Responding, Gashi said the fertilizer plant in Bokkos had not taken off since 2002 and was not in the budget while the one in

Barkin Ladi was in the budget but still at the foundation level.
He said that Kabong Main Market, which belonged to the ministry, was built with loan obtained by the Ministry of Finance which had since been liquidated.

He said that all revenues generated from the market were duly documented.

The director however, denied knowledge of the existence of tomato plant in Dorowa.

The commission chairman, Justice Stephen Adah, asked Gashi to present all the documents for the sale of the filling stations, revenue generated and other related documents to the commission on or before October 17.

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