Alleged N1bn scam: Nasarawa SSG to refund over N248.5m
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA) Ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged N1 billion released in 2018 for the renovation/ fencing of Secondary schools has directed the former Commissioner for Education who now holds the position of Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed Tijani, to refund over N248.5 million as unaccounted funds to the coffers of the state government.
Hon Daniel Oga Ogazi (APCKokona East), the chairman of the committee, made this known while presenting the committee's report during the House proceedings in Lafia yesterday.
Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, Speaker of the House, after receiving the report, fixed today, June 2nd, 2020, for deliberation on the report.
Ogazi said that the former commissioner displayed blatant inefficiency and incompetence, in the performance of his official duties.
According to him, 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 completed and uncompleted projects.
"During our investigation, we have summoned the commissioner for education, her principal officers, and management staff, the former permanent secretary of the ministry, the former commissioner for education and now SSG, commissioner for works, his principal officers as well as the contractors that handled various works.
"During our investigation, the SSG has agreed that he will take responsibility for his action.
"The total released contract sum was N1, 084,000,000 Naira; if N873, 233,942.60 is deducted 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.
Ogazi further urged the government to declare a state of emergency on all the project sites to ensure their 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.
It would be recalled that on March 17, 2020, the speaker constituted an adhoc 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.