From Abdullahi Adamu Gusau
Zamfara People's Democratic Party, PDP, spokesman and also a Permanent Commissioner, Zamfara state Hajj Commission, Alhaji Iliyasu Buhari Maijega has asserted that it is a moral duty to officially probe the administration of former Governor Bello Matawale.
Speaking in a phone-in Gold City FM programme recently, the Permanent Commissioner who doubles as Muryar PDP emphasized that Zamfara government should constitute a probe penal of enquiry on the diverted public funds by the immediate past administration In the state.
According to him, it becomes necessary for Dr Dauda Lawal, the Governor of Zamfara state to officially constitute a committee of enquiry to investigate all the alleged money laundering by the former Governor of the state, Bello Muhammad Matawale Maradun.
Alhaji Iliyasu Buhari Maijega who was recently appointed as Permanent Commissioner, State Hajji Commission further stated that, the former Governor was under the spotlight of the anti graft agency, a EFCC, suspecting him for deverting over 70 billion naira of public funds. He added that it becomes obligatory for Governor Dr Dauda Lawal to investigate him because almost every sector in the state statistics indicated that there was gross but misappropriation of local and state governments resources by the previous government.The PDP starlwat, Alhaji Iliyasu Buhari Maijega observed that, ” as responsible people, we have to do justice to ourselves because government’s resources do not belong to Dr Dauda Lawal. They belong to Zamfara state people. Besides, the present Governor promised to be fair and just to everyone in Zamfara state. It is their responsibility to find out how previous administrations expended the money given to them for public use. To find out if it is spent according to rules of law, and if not, must to return it accordingly for the benefit of the people of Zamfara state.”
The Permanent Commissioner also spoke about why Governor Dr Dauda Lawal appointed educated and competent people to reposition Zamfara state civil service expenditure through Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Alhaji Ma’azu Barau. He added that the current capture of biometric data through thumb print, the state government saves over 1 billion Naira monthly.
He also commended the ability and foresight of Dr Dauda Lawal as very intelligent Governor who within five months in office has created positive ways of income generation without depending on cash Allocation from the federal government.
The PDP spokesman also explained that Governor Dr Dauda Lawal had established anti corruption commission to investigate public financial fraud, money laundering or embezzlement in the state to juciously punish culprits according to the rule of law.
Alhaji Iliyasu Buhari Maijega noted that within his short period time as Governor of Zamfara state, the Governor has settled outstanding debts owed NECO , WAEC and Kaduna Electricity Company respectively.
On the issue of insecurity confronting the state, Ilyasu Maijega noted that preparations were made by the state government to recruit and train Community Protection Guards which commenced training through out the 14 local government areas in the state with view to ensure that banditry has become history in the state.
