THE Edo State government has a former deputy governor, Chief Mike Ogiadhome, of ownership of Copex Solid Mineral Processing Company which allegedly bought a state-owned quarry firm in Ikpeshi, Akoko-Edo Local Council, Solid Mineral Processing Industry, floated in 2003 at the sum of N85 million.

An earlier press statement had linked Ogiadhome with the firm which the state government is billed to probe over the transaction.

But the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Abdul Oroh, however, told reporters yesterday in Benin City that latest checks indicated that the company does not belong to the erstwhile number two citizen in the state.

“Mike Ogiadomhe was the Chairman, Technical Committee on Privatisation as at that time of the privatisation and not the owner of the company,” he clarified.