…Petitions him to EFCC
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – A Non-Governmental Organisation on the aegis of ‘Taraba Integrity and Accountability Group, Jalingo (TIAGJ) has accused Governor Darius Ishaku-led administration of looting the State treasury to the tune of 39 billion naira using his sister as front in the phony award of contracts.
The TIAGJ specifically said that massive corruption and looting of Taraba State fund has remained a recurring decimal by Governor Dickson and therefore demanded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to as a matter of urgency take a look into the account books of the state government.
Pointedly put, TIAGJ noted that the accounts of the Taraba State Government domiciled in Government House, Jalingo and those of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) are have become channels from which billions of naira been siphoned in cash between 2015 and 2020.
The group also said that Governor Dickson’s sister, Mrs. Gladys Kande Mamman, who is a member of the Taraba State Primary Board, uses pseudo companies linked to her BVN22228442299 to launder billions for the governor using phony contracts in spite of the fact that she is a public servant.
It noted that no Local Government Council in the state has been able to undertake a single project worth N5million since 2015 as the funds for all the Councils are centrally siphoned each month.
These were contained in a petition to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, of which a copy was made available to Forefront News, stating that between August and September 2015, the Taraba State government accessed a credit facility to the tune of N2 billion to finance the state on lending to small and medium scale commercial farmers through the Taraba State Agricultural and Development and Investment Limited (TADIL).
TIAGJ further said; “This fund to the best of our knowledge was diverted into private pockets of the Governor and his cronies, as no such financing of agricultural activities took place.”
The petition to the EFCC which was signed by Mr Ezekiel Lazarus Mbamo, which was made available to Forefront News, indicated that Taraba state received a CBN bailout loan of N37,655,975,922.60, comprising N23,135,682,937 for the state government, and N14,520,292,985 for the 16 local government areas in the state.
According to TIAGJ; “We hereby say without fear of contradiction, the bailout fund was largely stolen as against the motive for which it was given by the Federal government. We remind the commission that the bailout fund was given to among others, and as priority address salaries and pension/gratuity challenges which have been bothering states and local governments.
“The Governor in this case did not utilize the bailout for both the state and the Local Governments for the purpose they were meant for. Around October 2015, the Taraba state government obtained N9.4 billion for offsetting of overdraft on salaries to Zenith Bank; Bureau of Local Government for salaries; Purchase of Associated vehicles for the Governor, Deputy Governor, SSG’s convoy and the State House of Assembly members; and also for PW Nigeria Limited, Gembu Road Construction.
“In November 2015, Taraba State government obtained yet another loan of N10 billion for the purpose of agricultural and infrastructural projects in the state. This money was wildly siphoned from the coffers of the state, as there were not such infrastructural projects to justify the huge borrowing.
“Similarly, between January and February 2017, the Governor Ishaku-led administration received refund of the Excess Debt service by Paris club to the tune of N4,202,983,799.33. Curiously, the Governor bye-passed laid down financial tenets and singlehandedly opened a new strange account in Zenith Bank without the Accountant General or any official being involved and Paris club refunds was lodged there.
“The Government later claimed the money was used to offset Local Government loan taken to pay salaries, to offset the bill arising from omitted names, rural roads, rehabilitation of General Hospitals in Gembu, Wukari and Bambur.
“Again in July 2017, the state government received another tranche of the Excess Crude refund of 4.2 billion which it claimed was going to be utilized for construction of road, electrification project and construction and rehabilitation of PHC facility and purchase of mobile clinic.
“In August 2017, Taraba state received another refund in respect of Excess Debt Services Payment by Paris Club to the tune of N5,612,014,491.51. The Darius Ishaku-led administration claims the money was used for the construction of Lecheke – Pantisawa road, Wukari – Tsokundi road, payment of outstanding workers’ salaries and rehabilitation of Wukari, Gembu and Bambur General Hospitals.
“Between March and April 2018, the state government accessed a credit facility from Zenith Bank to the tune of 1.5 billion naira, which the government claimed was to finance and boost commercial agriculture. This money was also clearly diverted and taken into private possessions.
“Within the same period (March/April 2018), the Governor Ishaku-led administration accessed another credit facility from Fidelity Bank to the tune of N5 billion. This came under the Global CBN commercial agriculture credit scheme to Taraba state government to construct and provide other associated irrigation equipment that support dry season cultivation of soya beans and rice on an estimated 250 hectares of farmland in Karin Lamido and other location of the state under the Agricultural Development Program of the state, while 2 billion naira of the loan was to enable the state establish one model cattle ranch in each of the senatorial district.”
TIAGJ therefore tasked the EFCC to investigate the inflow of 28 billion naira which Governor Ishaku received as offer of promissory note discounting facility being refund for the construction of Jalingo-Sunkani-Garba Chede road, Bali-Serti-Gembu road and Jalingo-kona-Lau road.
The group further said; “It should be noted that the Governor deliberately ignored the CBN guideline on this refund for a single-digit and opted for a double-digit interest from Zenith Bank for pecuniary interest. Today, the Garba Chede – Bali – Serti Gembu road on which the federal government made the payment is in a very sorry state as the people are left to suffer.”
TIAGJ said that giving the development, there may be nothing left for the future generation of the state if the spate of corruption in Taraba State under Governor Ishaku is allowed to go unchecked, made to account and refund the money belonging to the people of Taraba state.
