N4.8bn MDGs job: Adamawa Govt to prosecute contractors
NAN-H-65
MDGs
By Martins Abochol
Yola, April 25, 2017 (NAN) Gov. Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa has threatened to prosecute contractors that absconded with N4.8 billion Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) funds in the state.
Bindow on Tuesday in Yola directed the Ministry of Justice to take necessary action against the contractors.
He gave the order while receiving the investigative report on the implementation of MDGs contracts from 2007 till date.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Bindow had earlier constituted an investigative committee into the implementation of the MDGs contracts from 2007 till date.
The committee was given four weeks from their date of inauguration to submit the report.
The governor, who said that his administration thrived on transparency and accountability, vowed that the misuse of state resources would not continue.
According to him, the era of shortchanging the people of the state is gone, saying “my administration is committed to clearing the rot in the system’’.
The governor referred the reports to the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Bala Sanga, and directed him to take necessary legal action.
Earlier, Alhaji Alfa Belel, the Chairman of the committee, told the governor that the MDGs office had refused to provide payment vouchers between 2007 and 2009.
However, Belel said that the office only provided the committee with payment vouchers from 2010 till date.
He said that N11 billion was received by the MDGs office within the period under review, noting that some projects were not executed.
He said that 1,591 contracts were awarded but only 300 were fully paid, adding that some of the contracts were fully paid without contract sites.
The chairman said that the committee also uncovered huge sums as un-remitted tax within the time under review.
Belel said that the committee had toured all the 21 local government areas in the state to access the contract sites.
He commended the governor for cooperating with the committee and thanked him for finding them worthy to serve the state in such capacity. (NAN) MK/JEO/MST
Edited by Jane-Frances Oraka/Muhammad Suleiman Tola