A report considered and adopted by the 9th Assembly of the Kaduna State House of Assembly has indicted the former Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Hon Yusuf Liman for diversion of funds to the tune of over One Hundred and Seven million naira (N107M) for the supply of eggs and yogurt to Pupils in primary schools under the National Home Grown School Feeding program (NHGSFP) across Northern Kaduna Senatorial District comprising of Zaria, Sabon Gari, Kudan, Ikara, Makarfi Kubau and Soba Local Government Areas.
In 2019, Hon Liman now reported to be one of the aspirants seeking to lead the 10th Assembly was then Chairman, Committee on Education held a meeting on the 14th August 2019 with the Kaduna State Egg Aggregators under the National Home Grown School Feeding program (NHGSFP), and fraudulently assigned to himself the supply of eggs and yogurt to schools in Kaduna North Senatorial District with the exception of Lere Local Government Area which was initially captured by another interest group.
The report discovered Hon Yusuf Liman through a proxy company, GREEN DROP ENERGY Limited, allegedly received the sum of One Hundred and Seven million Naira only for the supply eggs to Pupils in schools in Zone A Senatorial District. Under the deal, a create of egg was to be supplied at the rate N900/crate being the nationwide official rate by the NHGSFP exclusive of logistics cost of distribution to the ward levels. The program was designed to serve the feeding of pupils in primary 1 to 3 on Thursdays every week.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension of the program due to lockdown, which forced the closedown of all schools including workplaces, markets, social events centres as a measure to mitigate the spread of the virus. The report discovered that some of the aggregators were forced to refund all monies paid to them for non supply of eggs, yogurt and other consumables due to the closure of schools.
Sadly, Hon Yusuf Liman had refused to refund the sum he was paid to the National Home Grown School Feeding program (NHGSFP) domiciled in the office of the former Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai and headed by the state focal person and Deputy Chief of Staff, Saude Ayetobi. Hon Liman, the report indicated, diverted the money for personal use contrary to the timelines and conditions in paragraph C and D of the NHGSFP which stipulates refund or forfeiture in case failure to supply items by any aggregator.
Efforts by this reporter to reach Hon Yusuf Liman for comments failed as his mobile phone number was constantly diverted.
