PM's secretary, Saman Ekanayaka makes 5-hour long statement before PCoI on Agro ministry building

Colombo (News 1st) - According to the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Saman Ekanayake, it was due to the inefficiency of ministry personnel, that the building leased to house the Ministry of Agriculture in Rajagiriya, was left vacant for almost a year. This was revealed when he provided a statement to the Police Unit of the Presidential Commission probing corruption which took place in state institutions over the past 4 years. A spokesperson for the Commission said, according to Saman Ekanayake, cabinet approval was granted to obtain the building. Ekanayake had further noted that the relevant cabinet paper was presented by former Minister of Agriculture, Duminda Dissanayake. The statement issued by the Prime Minister's Secretary to the Police Unit further states Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had presented a cabinet paper and had taken over the building named the 'Govijana Mandiraya' which had previously housed the Ministry of Agriculture. The spokesperson for the commission said, the Secretary to the Prime Minister arrived at the commission at around 9 am today and provided a statement for over 5 hours. Saman Ekanayake's spouse, who is a former Secretary to a Ministry, is to provide a statement to the commission in the coming days, regarding the controversial deal to bring down Australian milch cows to the country.