By Rabiu Doma, Nasarawa
As the 2013 Appropriation year comes to an end, the House committees of the Nasarawa House of Assembly have begun submission of reports of their oversight functions. Interestingly, this year’s committee report appears an eye opener suggesting that Nasarawa State Law makers are on a liberation mission to rescue the state from Al Makura influenced jeopardy.
The revelation of the chairman House committee on Public Account, Honorable Francis Orogu served a Pandora box on the financial dealings of Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
The shendam road Government House landlord according to the committee’s findings revealed that the governor was seriously involved in financial incongruity and gross misconduct – Honorable Francis Orogu stated this while presenting his committees report to the Honorable House.
The presentation of House committee’s report marks the end to 2013 fiscal year paving the way for another Appropriation year, Honorable Francis Orogu expressed dismay over excessive-expenditure and running of state affairs by the incumbent Governor as his personal property.
The honorable member asserted that a whooping amount of N1.2bn was an unnecessary expenditure from the office of the Secretary to the State Government. It was reveal that under the present administration N1.138, 520, 172, 03 was discovered from June 2011 to April 2012.
The chairman Public Account also asserted that the sum of N200m was voted to Nasarawa Investment and Property Development Company in 2013 budget but additional N200m was spent bringing the amount to N400m.
OFFICE OF THE SSG
It was reveal that N971,833,721.00 was discover as over expenditure ,While N3,010,988.000.00 was spend as from July 2013.
MINISTRY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND CHIEFTAINCY AFFAIRS
Honorable Francis Orogu described State/Local Government Joint Account as illegal quoting relevant sections of the constitution, He stated that Joint Account is an aberration of sections 1,2,5 (5) and section 1,8 (11).
N400M RELIEF FUND BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
It was discover that N24m was missing from the N400m relief fund dole to Nasarawa by the Federal Government, He buttress that the money that supposed to be given or lodge in the account of Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA) .
The chairman aver that the money is yet to be accessed by the victims of 2012 flood disaster, He opined that N35m was distributed to the affected persons as against N50m,He further open the Pandora box that the House committee on Public Account findings discover that N365m was the balance that remains in a separate Accounts.
He asserted that the relief fund was kept in six different accounts that was not accessible to the Executive Secretary of NASEMA.
SUBSIDY REINVESTMENT and EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM (SURE-P)
As of April to December 2012 N190,390,397.00 was received on monthly basis,N3,427,270,151.40 was realized as from July-September ,It was unveiled that N2.2bn was left in the Account including the monthly benefits of beneficiaries .
CIVIL SERVICE
Over 7,000 employees under state/Local Government were sacked, The Governor was accused of disengaging staff at will, He also lament the inaction of the state Governor over workers of the state owned transport company, Nasarawa Express Service.
Honorable Orogu in an interview at the end of the plenary session said the violation of sections of the constitution are liable to removal, He further affirmed that the chief executive has the right to present supplementary budget but not to involved himself in over expenditure, He said.
Also the chairman House committee on Appropriation,Honorable Philip Gyunka said his committee discover over expenditure of N350m as against N15m spends in three months, He also called on the attention of the leadership of the House to summons the SSG and Accountant General for refusal to realized public documents .
MINISTRY OF HEALTH
Lead by the chairman House committee on health, Honorable Abdulkarim Mohammed representing Wamba constituency maintained that Governor Al-Makura was involved in gross misconduct said the state Government spends N130m as against N100m meant for equipping of pharmacy Departments in General Hospitals which was extra budgetary spending
“There was no provision for medical Centre in 2013 budget
Establishment of x-ray Department in Akwanga General Hospital
Other was establishment of x-ray Department at Arikya Cottage Hospital were not capture in 2013 budget.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CAPITAL MARKET, COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND COOPERATIVES
Honorable Ibrahim Bala (Moskolo) (APC) said fund was not released to ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives aver that N430, 338,000.00 was released as against the N2bn budgeted.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND CHIEFTAINCY AFFAIRS
Honorable Anthony Obande said a committee will be set up to investigate the Account of Local Government
Preparation and payment of all Local Government and Development Areas.
To checked receipts of all financial dealings
Bank statement of all Local Governments
The Honorable members strongly condemn the way and manner the Governor runs the office of the chief executive, Honorable Gyunka (PDP) described the Governor’s act as an insubordination and disregard to the legislative organ of Government.
Honorable Danladi Jatau (PDP) ascribed the Governor’s act as disregards to the constitutional provision, “The Governor did not regard us as partners in progress.
Honorable Anthony Obande (PDP) chairman House committee for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in his contribution averred that the House would not keep watching the misdeed of the state Governor,”
“The Assembly shall not condone what they chief executive is doing, The Governor has a question to answer, we are elected the same way the Governor come to office’our elections including the Governor to represent our people is a privilege from God”.
“The Governor was misled by street boys to go to court”.
Honorable Mohammed Baba Ibaku (PDP) Said the action of the state Governor has shown that he disregard the legislative arm of Government.
The three letters sent to the lawmakers by the state Governor are.
1. Letter of resignation of two appointees under the incumbent regime, Hajara Danyaro, The Special Adviser to Governor Al-Makura on Inter party affairs and Phillip Iyakwari who were in the black book of the lawmakers.
2. Letter requesting for the confirmation of Mohammed Dogara Aliyu as member of the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC).
3. Third letter was the reaction of the state Governor to the one year term of office for Local Government elective officers by the lawmakers.
It could be recalled that the sacking/resignation of the two appointees was resolution number 69 of the state Assembly.
It would be recalled that the Nasarawa state Governor presented the sum of N107, 960,852,627.00bn on the 12th of December 2013 to the Nasarawa State House of Assembly for deliberation and kind consideration by the Honorable Members.
And subsequently the state Governor assented to the bill on Tuesday, 19, March 2013 the budget of Redemption 2.
Recurrent Revenue of 2013 budget
The sum of N62, 896,725,294bn was projected as recurrent revenue
Recurrent Expenditure of 2013 budget
Recurrent expenditure got N42, 331,155,717bn in 2013 budget
Capital receipts size of 2013 amounted to N67, 959,516,910 while capital expenditure overs budget of all the ministries which was as follows
1. Agriculture got N2, 736,500,000bn
2. Water Resource and Rural Development got N3.08
3. Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives got N3.93bn
4. Housing and Urban Development got N6.61bn
5. House of Assembly got N184, 000,000 million as capital project fund
6. Works, Housing and Transport got N15, 897,466,910bn
7. Education got N4, 205,000,000bn
8. Science and Technology was voted N125, 000,000 Million
9. Health got N3, 770,000,000bn
10. Information and Ethical Reorientation got N1, 691,000,000bn
11. Judiciary was voted N2, 488,300,000
12. Youth and Sport got N1.280, 000,000bn
13. Women Affairs and social Development got N258, 000,000 Million
14. Environment and Community Development was voted N206, 000,000
15. Land, survey and Town Planning was voted N3, 120,000,000bn
16. Finance and Economic Development got N2, 876,000,000 was appropriated for capital expenditure among others.
Out of the 24 House committee’s only three House committees including Public Account, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Capital Market, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives while House committee on Appropriation report hit brick walls due to non-compliance to the request of the committee.
