Alleged N1bn projects scandal: Nasarawa Assembly directs Gov Sule to sack SSG

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has directed Gov Abdullahi Sule to relieve the Secretary to the Government of the State, Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed Tijani SSG of his appointment over N284. 5m unaccounted school projects fund when he was a commissioner of Education in the state.

Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, the speaker of the House gave the directive on Tuesday in Lafia after the house deliberation on a report of an  Ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged N1 billion released in 2018 for the renovation /fencing of Secondary schools in the state.

This followed a motion moved by Hon Mohammed Alkali (APC Lafia North which was seconded by Hon Ibrahim Muluku APC Nasarawa Eggon East).

The speaker also asked Ahmed Tijani to refund over N248.5 million as unaccounted funds to the coffer of the state government.

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He said that the former Commissioner displayed blatant inefficiency, incompetency and ineffectiveness in the performance of his official duties.

“Based on the resolution of the House, His Excellency, Gov. Abdullahi Sule should relieve the SSG, Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed Tijani of his appointment.

“I will request the clerk to communicate the House resolution to His Excellency, Gov Abdullahi Sule for his immediate action,” he said.

The speaker called on Gov. Sule as a matter of urgency to work on the House resolution in the interest of peace and development.

According to the speaker, based on the committee’s recommendations, the total sum of N873, 233,942.60 was expended based on information from the payment Voucher (PVs) excluding 5% deductions for Monitoring and Evaluation (M $ E) as payments for the completed and uncompleted projects.

“The total released contract sum was N1, 084,000,000 Naira only, if deducted N873, 233,942.60 from the total contract sum this will amount to N210, 766, 057.40.

“Then add 5% Monitoring and Evaluation which is N37, 718, 499.19. The total sum of unaccounted funds will amount to N248, 484,556.60, ” he said.

Ibrahim Balarabe also urged the government to declare a state of emergency on all the project sites to ensure its completion.

“All contractors who completed their work should be paid immediately by the ministry and all payments made to the unknown contractors should be refunded to government coffers immediately.

“Funds should be released to contractors who have the capacity and ability to carry out the work,” he said.

He also called on contractors who collected money and refused to carry out the renovation/fencing to do so within one month or face the consequences.

The speaker urged the ministry of education to take on the spot assessment of all uncompleted projects to see the level of work done and to make funds available for the completion of same in the interest of development.

It would be recalled that on March 17, 2020, the speaker has constituted an Ad-hoc committee to carry out a thorough investigation on the alleged utilisation of the N1billion approved for the renovation/ fencing of public secondary schools in the state.

In a related development, the House also confirmed Dr Dominic Adagadzu Bako as the Director General, Nasarawa State Bureau for Public Procurement.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE