Probe Alleged Salaries For Fake Teachers – Ex-Nasarawa Lawmaker Tells Gov Sule

BY AHMED TUKUR LAFIA – Former Majority of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Abdulhamid Kwara, says kudos to the State lawmakers for unraveling the alleged case of fraud in the State Bureau for salaries.

Kwarra has therefore thrown his weight behind the lawmakers’ demand that government clamps down on the Agency till the outcome of investigations into circumstances surrounding the inclusion of names of fake teachers in the state salary vouchers.

Also, Kwarra, who spoke during an interview in Lafia, faulted the setting up of the Salary Bureau without a proper legal framework and legislative backing.

The former lawmaker’s comments came against the backdrop of calls by the Chairman, State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Daniel Ogazi urging the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Haruna Ogbole, to suspend the Director of Salaries Bureau, Mr Sulley Daheer, and all staff of the salaries department with immediate effect following the alleged inclusion of ghost teachers in the state salary payment vouchers.

Kwarra also urged Governor Abdullahi Sule to act fast by setting up a committee to investigate the allegations to boost public confidence while ensuring a fair hearing for those accused of the said offence.

“Under a normal process, when the State Assembly makes a resolution directing the state to carry out any function, it is expected that the governor, in implementing that resolution, sets up a Committee to verify what the Assembly is talking about and ensure that those accused are given the benefit of fair hearing.

He said the resolution on fraud by the State Assembly demands the setting up of a committee to look into those allegations before the final decision because it might end up in the prosecution of culprits.

“Basically the state assembly is the cornerstone of constitutional democracy. If the state government establish a bureau that is supposed to carry out some specific functions of government then it must be established by a legal framework and by so doing there must be a law to clearly specify the functions of the agency”

The former Majority Leader said the Bureau was established by just a mere executive pronouncement which inhibited it from functioning properly as an agency of government, adding that the rule of law is part of the Assembly’s duties of performing oversight and also drawing the Executive’s attention where certain procedures are not properly followed and direct the Executive to act where necessary.

“The action of the assembly directing the governor to suspend or close the Salary Bureau is appropriate”, he said, adding that it is wrong and unconstitutional for the Bureau to handle the salary of political office holders.

Kwarra, who explained that the Salary Department is only empowered to coordinate salaries of civil servants in the state, said; “Where the Salary Bureau handles salaries of political and public office holders is a misdirection on the part of government because the salaries of public and political office holders under the constitution is suppose to be paid from the consolidated revenue of the state.”