Awka
Anambra State Government has described as false, the news of the discovery of a large deposit of gold worth $900 trillion in a part of the state.
Recently, an online medium had reported the discovery of a gold reserve estimated at over 20 million tonnes and worth over $900tn in Ehamufu, Anambra State.
The report also alleged that Anambra Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, in his capacity as the chairman of the South East Governors’ forum, briefed journalists at the end of a meeting of the forum on the development.
But reacting to the claims in a statement in Awka on Thursday, the Governor through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Christian Aburime, said there is no iota of truth in the said report.
According to him, the write-up, which has been making the rounds in some social media handles, is fictitious and fallacious.
“The publication alleged that Gold reserve estimated to be over twenty (20) million tonnes and worth over $900 trillion has been discovered in Ehamufu, Anambra State.
“The imaginary writer went ahead to allege that Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, in his capacity as Chairman of the South East Governors’ forum, briefed newsmen at the end of a meeting of the Forum.
“Consequently, based on the above misleading report, the Government of Anambra State, for clarity, would like to state that Ehamufu is not in Anambra State,” it said.
The statement noted that that Governor Soludo is not the Chairman of South East Governors’ forum, neither did he brief newsmen of any meeting held by the Forum or phantom discovery of Gold reserves in Ehamufu, Anambra State, as allegedly claimed by the writer.
It said the entire news story including every statement or quotations allegedly attributed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo are mere falsehoods without an iota of truth.
The government urged the general public to discountenance and disregard these claims as a figment of the writer’s imagination.
It said; “The entire news item remains a mischievously cooked up story with the clear intention to mislead the general public.
“There are various official channels through which the activities, statements and policy directions of the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, are communicated.
“These channels are public knowledge.
“For emphasis, the general public is again advised to completely disregard the news story and every material therein as a fake news item.”
