OPINION: GOVERNOR AA CONSTITUTE PANEL OF INQUIRY OVER THE ALLEGED DIVERSION OF 300 MILLION

The Kwara state government led by the pragmatic governor, his Excellency, the executive Governor of Kwara state Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq has bursted the bubbles of his friends and foes alike by constituting a panel of inquiry earlier promised some days back.

The anti-corruption crusader governor who premise his administration on the basis of fairness and probity made Justice Adewara the chair of the committee while its members was drawn across boards, ranging from the military, para-military and the civil servants.

This gesture once again show the readiness of his Excellency to drive Kwara to the promise Land and to further propel the state to next level of dynamisms.

 

The committee work includes;

To ascertain the amounts received by local governments as statutory allocation from the federal government from May 2019 to date; 

·       to determine and ascertain the amounts received by the local governments as IGR from the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) from May 29 2019 to date;

·       to determine and ascertain the amounts received by the local governments from other sources into the Joint Allocation Account Committee (JAAC) from May 29 2019 to date;

·       to investigate the veracity of the claim of N300m monthly deduction by the Kwara State Government from the local government funds from May 29 2019 to date;

·       To determine whether the state government borrowed money from banks or financial institutions to pay salaries at any point in time from May 29 2019 to date;

·       To determine how the funds mentioned above were spent monthly by the JAAC;

·       To determine the duplicity or otherwise of any Kwara State public official on the matter of local government funds;

·       To provide any other information that may assist the State Government in ensuring accountability at all times with respect to the state’s activities and the local governments.

 

The statement said the panel has two weeks to submit its report.

 

The setting up of the panel came amid the Governor’s official invitation to the anti-graft body EFCC and the House of Assembly to investigate the issue.

 

AbdulRazaq has repeatedly said he remains true to his electoral promise not to touch a kobo of local government funds in compliance with not just the NFIU guidelines but his longstanding belief in the local government autonomy.

The governor has always reiterated his stance regarding the funds of the state government.

As a well-to-do person before attaining the position of authority, he had nothing to do with the funds of the state as he's already a made man who's not seeking public office to enrich himself and his croonies as was the case in the last administration.

Fellow Kwarans, it's good here.

Yusuf Mubaraq Authority.