By Balkis Tijani.
The stories making the rounds of an alleged SME funds traced to ex-Kwara first lady is completely untrue, INSIDER has learnt.
A statement signed by Mr. Lanre Bello, Executive Director with LEAH Group, clarifies that the insinuations that Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed received part of the alleged looted funds is “farther from the truth.”
While admitting that the publication by THE NATION newspapers which fueled the speculations did not directly mention either the LEAH Group or its founder; the statement said the report nonetheless “contained innuendo fully suggesting that our Founder was being targeted as reference was made to our mission statement.”
In further clarifying the issues surrounding the alleged funds, the organization said in a bit to deliver the objectives for which it was established, which is “provide intervention in the Health sector, particularly the fight against breast and cervical cancers, that is daily killing women, we approached the Kwara State SMED for a 16 million naira loan to develop a medical facility. The application was duly processed and approved. So far, the organization has repaid 3 million naira and is currently working on paying the balance.
“At no time was any money paid into the accounts of our founder by the SMED, neither has she received any cash from the scheme. Therefore, the insinuation that Her Excellency (Evng) Omolewa Ahmed has been evading EFCC invitation or is on the run is totally false. No invitation has been extended to her.
“For the records, we state emphatically that insinuation that our founder directly received the money is not true,” the statement concludes.