N942 Million Scandal: Jigawa Assembly Suspends Four Council Chairmen

Jigawa State House of Assembly has suspended four council chairmen over alleged misappropriation of over N942 public funds

The legislature has also directed vice chairmen of the affected councils to take charge of the affairs of the council.

The suspension of said local authorities followed the investigation and discovery of large-scale financial recklessness by the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

The explosive revelation as contained in a committee’s report, was presented at the floor of the House during plenary yesterday presided over by the speaker of the house, Rt. Honourable Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin.

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Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Aminu Zakari said the discovery was made during an oversight function carried out in the 27 local government areas of the state.

Hon. Zakari listed the affected local government councils are Auyo, Dutse, Gumel and Ringim.

According to the report the chairman of Auyo local government council, was accused of making 54 payments of over N158.3 million without vouchers, 29 illegal payments to the tune of N54.3 million, and 54 payments of over N66.8 million without vouchers among other allegations.

In Dutse local government council, it was alleged that an illegal transaction to the tune of N240,001,082 which contained 70 irregular payments amounting to over N126.4 million, over N30.6 million payment 19 times was carried out without proper procedure and approval.

Explaining further, the committee chairman said that 42 payment vouchers amounting to N82.8 million had no supporting documents such as house approval, LPO, Bill of quantity etc.

Similarly, in Gumel local government council, the house committee accused the leadership of allegedly misappropriating over N543.6 million, part of which was over N400 million ecological funds diverted to overhead costs and 22 different payments to the tune of over N143.6 million to individuals.

But in the case of Ringim council, the committee alleged administrative lapses with some financial malpractices such as illegal auctions of the council’s properties, and alleged shortchanging of local government finances on internal revenue generations.

In the recommendations submitted before the house, the committee urged the assembly to consider the “indefinite suspensions of local council chairmen of Auyo, Dutse, Gumel and Ringim for suspicious allegations of misconduct, negligence of duties and inducious spending of public funds without justification in line with provision of section 9 of local government law principal cap 18 law of JIgawa state 2012 as well as financial memorandum”.

“The vice chairmen of the affected local government should take over the local government council till after investigation.

That, “The house should continue with further investigation on the matter”. The recommendations were adopted.

(NATIONAL UPDATE)