By Faith Awa Maji,
Lafia
Nasarawa State House of Assembly has ordered Gov. Engr Abdullahi Sule to sack the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed Tijanian over an allegation of embazzlement of funds to the tone of N284. 5m which was meant for school projects during the immediate past government under Sen. Umaru Tanko Almakura when he served as Commissioner for Education in the state.
Speaker of the House, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi gave the order Tuesday in Lafia after the house deliberation on the report of the committee investigating the alleged N1 billion released in 2018 for the renovation /fencing of Secondary schools across the state.
The oder followed a motion of public interest which was moved by Hon Mohammed Alkali (APC) Lafia North and seconded by Hon Ibrahim Muluku (APC) Nasarawa Eggon East).
Speaker Balarabe also asked the SSG Ahmed Tijani to refund the over N248.5m as unaccounted funds to the coffer of the state government.
According to the Speaker, the former Commissioner displayed inefficiency, incompetency and ineffectiveness in the performance of his official duties.
“Based on the resolution of the House, Gov. Abdullahi Sule is hereby directed to immediately sack the SSG, Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed Tijani to save the governnent the embarrassment. I will request the clerk to communicate the House’s resolution to Gov Abdullahi Sule for his immediate action, ” the speaker declared.
Ibrahim Abdullahi Balarabe called on Gov. Sule to as a matter of urgency act on the House’s resolution in the interest of peace in the state.
He disclosed that 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.
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 House unanimously adopted the committee’s reports and urged governor Abdullahi Sule to relieve the SSG of his position even as there was a decent voice vote by Hon Mohammed Okpoku (APC- Udege /Loko) against the House’s resolution ordering the governor to sack the SSG.
It would be recalled that on March 17, 2020, Speaker if the Nasarawa State Ibrahim Abdullahi Balarebe constituted an Ad-hoc committee to carry out thorough investigation on the alleged utilisation of the N1billion approved for the renovation/ fencing of public secondary schools in the state which was to Chair by Chairman House Committee on Education, Hon Daniel Oga Ogazi.
In a related development, the House confirmed Dr Dominic Adagadzu Bako as the Director General, Nasarawa State Bureau for Public Procurement during plenary in Lafia.
The speaker directed the clerk of the House to communicate the House’s resolution to the Governor Sule for necessary action on Bako’s confirmation.