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It’s a political gimmick says top PDP govt official
From Paul Orude, Bauchi
The Coordinator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Advancement Group Alhaji Umar Musa Gwaskwaram has urged the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Crimes (ICPC) to investigate the alleged use of public office to plunder government treasury through unjustified variants of contracts, an allegation a senior Government official has denied.
Gwaskwaram who presented dozens of exhibits made the allegation when he addressed journalists in Bauchi.
He alleged that the state government fluctuated the contract for the renovation and upgrading of government houses from N6, 626,714,535,00 billion to N9,981,379,894.08bn.
He alleged that the renovation of the Abubakar Umar State Secretariat building, awarded at N445,070,984.85 was increased with variation to N482,143,634.29.
He alleged that the projects executed did not reach over 50 per cent, and the purpose of the delay in completing the projects was just to have excuses, hence the variations.
Gwaskwaram alleged further that the government engaged the services of private companies for the services that government workers and establishments can provide to get the money that will be diverted to public pockets.
It also engaged private firms to help the government access N65bn loan from the Federal government and World Bank while the company will be paid N11.250bn as a consultancy fee.
“But government institutions can facilitate the work at no cost,” he lamented.
Gwaskwaram, who was a one-time gubernatorial candidate in the state, alleged that there is inconsistency of purpose and dishonesty in the procurement and allocation of public lands and properties by the state government in order to serve personal political interests.
He alleged that a property, which was formerly revoked from a former Bauchi State Governor was reinstated back to him.
He stated that the letter was from the office of the Attorney General Chambers with reference MOJ/LAW/S/25 dated 2nd august 2022,, a residence of a serving judge was sold, while, on the other hand, the government purchased properties from individuals.
He alleged that one individual House was purchased at the cost of N200 million, while another House was purchased at N13 million.
Gwaskwaram also alleged that property was purchased at N150 million by the government.
On the allegation of distributions of land, Gwaskwaram said, the lands were given to cronies and friends at the expense of the less privileged.
“Large hectares of land were given to individuals and companies who in turn mortgage these lands to the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN to access lucrative loans for personal use,” he said.
“Example lands were carved out and allocated to top government officials, like the Governor, his immediate family members, the Secretary to the State Government, and high ranking politicians”
Gwaskwaram alleged that there was rampant backdating of government correspondences to formalize inappropriate government transactions to suit personal interests.
“This act has become very popular of correspondences between offices of the SSG who is also the Secretary land advisory committee, Ministry of Lands, the Anthony general and the clerk of the State House of Assembly,” he alleged.
He appealed to the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices to investigate all the allegations to make the culprits face the wrath of the law.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Government on the allegation proved abortive as the mobile phone number of the Commissioner for Information Yakubu Barau Ningi was switched off.
Text messages sent to Mr Ningi’s phone number were not returned.
However, a senior government official dismissed the allegations as political and not true wondering why Gwaskwaram did not bring the allegations to the public domain until days before the general election.
The senior official who pleaded anonymity said the governor is meticulous and honest and ensured that due process is followed and adhered to in the award of contracts. He said the rising cost of the dollar to the naira the governor had reduced the cost of most of the
projects abandoned by the APC administration to enable work to continue and most of these projects have been completed by the current PDP administration.
He said rather than cry foul where there was none, the APC stalwart is only desperate because his party was losing the forthcoming election while the people of Bauchi State are happy with the infrastructural development witnessed under the ruling PDP in the state and are willing to return the party to continue the good work.
He said, unlike the APC which could not account for any single project it executed all through the four years in power, a development that cost them re-election, the current governor has warmed his way into the hearts of.
