Recently, Katsina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari, constituted four committees to investigate activities of four critical sectors under the administration of his predecessor, Barr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema. In this piece, MUAZU ELAZEH examines issues surrounding the probe.
Few days to the much talked about one hundred days in office, the Katsina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari turned his full search light on the activities of four critical sectors of the state during the immediate past administration of the state as he inaugurated committees to undertake holistic investigation of the activities of the sectors from 2011 to 2015.
The four key sectors whose activities will be scrutinised as per the committee constituted are Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Katsina State Road Maintenance Agency (KASROMA), MDGs/SURE-P, and, the Department of Girl Child Education and Child Development.
The four key sectors whose activities will be scrutinised as per the committee constituted are Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Katsina State Road Maintenance Agency (KASROMA), MDGs/SURE-P, and, the Department of Girl Child Education and Child Development.
The task to investigate the activities of SUBEB lies in the hands of eight persons comprising, Dr Kabi Matazu, the rector of Federal Polytechnic Kazaure and a seasoned academic as chairman, Hamisu Danmusa, Abdullahi Jika Ruma, Inusa Mohammed, Shehu Bello, Muhammad Dan’Ali, Habibu Dara, Kamilu Sheik Malumfashi with Aminu Bello Bakori as secretary.
Indeed, another sector for which a committee was set up to unravel the activities of previous government is the department of Girl Child education and child development. This committee has former commissioner and frontline woman politician, Mariya Abdullahi as chairperson while Zainab Kaita, Umar Gambarawa, Binta Abba, Abubakar Masari, Tanimu Runka and Nurruden Mannir are to serve as members with Awwal Ibrahim Kankara acting as the committee scribe.
To investigate the activities of the Katsina state Roads Maintenance Agency (KASROMA), eight persons including its chairman, Engr Abdul Kanti, Amadu Bello Charanchi, Shehu Tingilin, Lawal Usman Bagiwa, Bishir Babba Kaita and Abdulaziz Indala have been named.
While activities of the department of MDGs/SURE-P within the said period will be investigated by the committee headed by Abdullahi Imam with Muntari Abdulkadir, Farouk Jobe, Isa Ahmed, Almajir Salihu, Lawal Bosa and Abu Rimi as members. One Mohammed Sani Katsina is to serve as secretary of the committee.
Essentially, the committees had the same terms of reference which included ascertaining the location and status of project executed between 2011 and 2015, to determine whether or not funds earmarked for the said projects have been judiciously allocated and economically used.
Essentially, the committees had the same terms of reference which included ascertaining the location and status of project executed between 2011 and 2015, to determine whether or not funds earmarked for the said projects have been judiciously allocated and economically used.
In the case of SUBEB, the committee is tasked with the additional responsibility to ascertain the actual Teacher-Pupil ratio and advise on how critical primary education infrastructure could be improved.
Of course the committees’ term of reference included determining whether or not financial and administrative operational guidelines were adhered to in the conduct of the organisational activities.
The four committees were constituted on Monday the 17th of August and they have three weeks within which to submit their reports.
Of course the committees’ term of reference included determining whether or not financial and administrative operational guidelines were adhered to in the conduct of the organisational activities.
The four committees were constituted on Monday the 17th of August and they have three weeks within which to submit their reports.
While inaugurating the committee, Governor Masari tasked them to do their job without any fear or favour, insisting that the essence was to reposition operations of government for greater efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.
He stressed that the setting up of the committee had nothing to do with witch-hunt but was borne out of the desire to set records of government activities straight and admonished the committee members to resist the temptation of allowing their personal interest and preference interfere with the job.
He stressed that the setting up of the committee had nothing to do with witch-hunt but was borne out of the desire to set records of government activities straight and admonished the committee members to resist the temptation of allowing their personal interest and preference interfere with the job.
Although the committee was coming few days to the one hundred days in office in the life of the Masari-led administration, analyst said it was long coming because the governor at different fora, had cause to lament the alleged waste and more aptly, mismanagement of resources in some critical sectors of the state government under the previous administration.
In one of his interactions with newsmen, the governor observed that the head of one of the agencies being investigated surpassed his statutory spending limits and acted without recourse to either the board or the supervising ministry.
Perhaps it may not be mere coincidence that the four agencies being investigated are among the sectors seen as being juicy.
Perhaps it may not be mere coincidence that the four agencies being investigated are among the sectors seen as being juicy.
For instance, SUBEB, the agency saddled with the responsibility of coordinating primary education, has according to available records, received huge amount of money within the period to be covered by the investigation, as counterpart funding to strengthen primary education.
But then, although the immediate past government said it has achieved remarkable success in repositioning primary education, a special committee constituted by the governor to asses state of primary schools in the state, declared that the situation of over 2000 primary school were deplorable.
Specifically, the committee headed by its chairman, Dr Badamasi Charanchi hinted that close to 14,000 primary school children across the state currently learn on bare floor due to dearth of chairs, seats and other infrastructure. Perhaps this revelation by the committee may be one of the reasons that informed the governor’s decision to engage on a whole scale investigation.
The KASROMA is one of the state government agencies that have continued to enjoy over eighty per cent budgetary releases during the period under review.
Although it was saddled with the responsibility of maintaining the roads across the state and other critical road infrastructure like street lights and the likes, the agency delved its hands, surprisingly in economic empowerment activities where it claimed to have taught some unemployed youths skills and provided computers to them. This is even as there is an agency statutorily responsible for handling this.
Although it was saddled with the responsibility of maintaining the roads across the state and other critical road infrastructure like street lights and the likes, the agency delved its hands, surprisingly in economic empowerment activities where it claimed to have taught some unemployed youths skills and provided computers to them. This is even as there is an agency statutorily responsible for handling this.
As for the department of Girl Child education and child development, its activities principal among which is the conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme, had been subjected to harsh criticism by people who levelled allegations of bias on the authority.
The investigative committee will no doubt investigate, among other things, the way and manner in which this all important programme which sought toprovide stipends to school pupils as part of initiatives to encourage enrolment, retention and completion of girl child in primary school, was handled.
Indeed, among the agencies and or department to be investigated is the MDGs/SURE-P both of which had attracted wide publicity in the state for different reasons, perhaps due to funding reportedly pumped to both by the federal government.
Our correspondent reports that the news of the committee was received with wild jubilation in some corners of the state with those applauding it insisting that it is a signal that the incumbent government will not plunder the state resources and will ensure value for money.
“The Governor is sending a signal to all those who care to see because he will be setting a benchmark within which he will be judged after living office. An administration that begins with probe will no doubt be mindful of its action knowing full well that probe awaits it at expiration” Saifullahi Danlami, a retired Director in the state civil service said.
As at the time of going to press, it was reliably gathered that all the committees had commenced work with what sources said was thorough scrutiny of the books of all the agencies being investigated.
“The Governor is sending a signal to all those who care to see because he will be setting a benchmark within which he will be judged after living office. An administration that begins with probe will no doubt be mindful of its action knowing full well that probe awaits it at expiration” Saifullahi Danlami, a retired Director in the state civil service said.
As at the time of going to press, it was reliably gathered that all the committees had commenced work with what sources said was thorough scrutiny of the books of all the agencies being investigated.
Views are being expressed that the investigation, which according to the committee members, promised to be thorough, is bound to unravel some can of worms as far as the way and manner the state’s resources were expended, was concerned.
Reaction Trails Probe Committees
But even before the constitution of the committees, the heads of some these agencies had appeared before the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning.
As should be expected, the constitution of the committee has continued to engender different reactions from different sections of the state with people expressing diverse opinions as to the propriety or otherwise.
But even before the constitution of the committees, the heads of some these agencies had appeared before the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning.
As should be expected, the constitution of the committee has continued to engender different reactions from different sections of the state with people expressing diverse opinions as to the propriety or otherwise.
While some respondents believed it was timely, necessary and the only option left to recover the alleged looted funds, others see it as mere distraction and deliberate attempt to witch hunt officials of the immediate past administration.
The opposition PDP which appears to be at the receiving end of the committee’s activities and indeed, most of the present government’s actions and inactions, described the committee as a deliberate attempt to witch hunt some persons and rubbish the good track records of achievement left behind by the immediate past administration.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, the Katsina state PDP chairman, Salisu Yusuf Majigiri condemned the constitution of the committee insisting that there was ulterior motive for it “since all these agencies are being investigated by the EFCC”.
“We condemn the constitution of these committees in the strongest terms. What is the essence of the EFCC that is investigating all these agencies? For one, all the members of the committee are members of the APC and how do you expect fairness?” “The probe is political since the committee is made up mainly of card carrying APC members” Majigiri added insisting that the whole exercise smack of deliberate attempt to witch hunt officials of the immediate past administration.
The opposition PDP which appears to be at the receiving end of the committee’s activities and indeed, most of the present government’s actions and inactions, described the committee as a deliberate attempt to witch hunt some persons and rubbish the good track records of achievement left behind by the immediate past administration.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, the Katsina state PDP chairman, Salisu Yusuf Majigiri condemned the constitution of the committee insisting that there was ulterior motive for it “since all these agencies are being investigated by the EFCC”.
“We condemn the constitution of these committees in the strongest terms. What is the essence of the EFCC that is investigating all these agencies? For one, all the members of the committee are members of the APC and how do you expect fairness?” “The probe is political since the committee is made up mainly of card carrying APC members” Majigiri added insisting that the whole exercise smack of deliberate attempt to witch hunt officials of the immediate past administration.
But an APC youth Leader and frontline member of the Masariyya Group-an organisation propagating the political ideals of Governor Masari-, Mallam Yusuf Hamisu Tirmigis said the constitution of the committee was not only necessary, but timely considering the enormity of alleged mismanagement of the state’s resources.
“Regardless of our political leaning, we must accept the fact that some looted or mismanaged funds have to be recovered. The present government is trying to ask questions on how the resource of the state was handled so as to ascertain whether or not there was value for money. Why are some people grumbling?” Tirmigis queried. Abdurrahman Dutsinma is a member of the Katsina state chapter of Coalition of Civil Societies. He said employing the service of consultants who are politically neutral was the best thing for the government to do.
“For a committee of this nature, government ought to have hired services of consultants who can do the job better. Because using people who belong to your party and are against the previous government, there is likely to be bias in their findings”.
“But then having said that, the setting up of the committee is the best thing governor Masari could have done because there are a lot of allegations of financial misappropriation levelled against the previous government”.
Dutsinma who is the chairman of Katsina Budget Awareness Initiative (KBAI) added that “It is good to investigate these sectors because it reflects all the agencies where there are widespread views that so many resources were squandered”
Dutsinma who is the chairman of Katsina Budget Awareness Initiative (KBAI) added that “It is good to investigate these sectors because it reflects all the agencies where there are widespread views that so many resources were squandered”
Source:Leadership
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