Kano Assembly indicts KANSIEC, others of misappropriation

Orders refund of N301m to the state

KState House of Assembly has indicted the Chairman and members of Kano Independent Electoral Commission ( KANSIEC) of misuse of over N41 million public funds meant for the 2021 local council election. Similarly, the legislature indicted Kano Road Traffic Agency ( KAROTA), State Primary Health Care, and Kano Printing Press of diverting over N260 million Consequently, the Assembly ordered the four state agencies to refund the cumulative sum of N301 million to the government’s account. In a unanimous adoption of recommendations of the

House Committee on Public Finance, the legislature, during plenary, yesterday, presided by the Speaker, Jibril Falgore, advised the state government to sack the seven members of KANSIEC for breach of public trust. Besides, the assembly asked the government to forward a fresh list of persons of integrity to replace them and ensure appropriate sanction against the alleged defaulters.

Earlier, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Public Finance, Ahmad Ibrahim, had reported that the 2019 Federal Account Allocation Committee ( FAAC) audited account of the state indicated that KANSIEC failed to account for N41 million.

Ibrahim, representing Karaye constituency, worried that members of the commission disregarded all efforts to enable the affected persons to claim their names.

Similarly, Chairman, House Committee on Public Account, and member representing Fagge constituency, Mohammed T ukur, raised concern how KAROT A, Primary Health Care and Kano Printing Press allegedly mismanaged allocation and revenue generated.

Tukur made the submission when he submitted the 2021 audited public account, adding that all ministries, agencies and parastatals must be cautioned to comply with due diligence on public finance or risk sanction. He narrated how allocations for COVID- 19 and social welfare programmes got zero release of funds, while construction of 100 pit toilets with an estimated budget of N200 million secured 100 per cent release.

The Fagge lawmaker also lamented how the previous administration refused to approve an audit of a six- year public account, leaving behind a backlog of unaudited public expenditure.