Former Zamfara State governor Abdulazeez Yari-led administration has again been accused of misappropriating a sum of N90.3billion from a number of over four hundred units of contracts granted during his eight-year tenure.
Chairman, State Projects Verification Committee, Alhaji Muhammad Zabarma, made the allegation while presenting the committee’s interim report to Governor Bello Matawalle at the Government House.
Zabarma said from the indepth investigation carried out by his committee, it was evident that there were gross misappropriations, over-invoicing, unlawful payments of contract bills and even payment without actual job execution.
According to him, the committee’s findings exposes the highest degree of financial recklesness within the two offices of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and that of the former state governor.
He said the committee was shocked to discover the serious level of disconnect between the office of the SSG and that of the ex-governor.
He said the office of the SSG working with that of the Head of Service was expected to squarely address the issues of relationship between political appointees and career civil and public servants, a situation which would ensure high level productivity and probity for good service delivery.
However, “it is unfortunate to discover that huge amount of fund running into billions of naira is often expended arbitrarily by ex-governor Abubakar Yari without the knowledge of the SSG, who would only later be directed to formalise the illegality.”
The chairman said his committee had so far verified projects in 19 ministries and some departments in which about 6, 180 contracts were discovered by his committee was so alarming that government had to drastically do something to ensure the refund of huge amount of money to the public treasury.
In the report, the committee chairman revealed many evidence of financial misconduct alleged to have been perpetrated by ex-governor Yari’s administration, with his committee strongly recommending that a judicial committee of inquiry be constituted to ascertain the real situation and ensure the recovery of stolen funds from the culprits.
After the formal submission of the document by the committee, Governor Matawalle expressed commitment to implementing its report.
He stressed that the only way out was the prescription of heavy punishment and sanction to deter anyone planning to engage in similar financial misconduct.
