Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe funds received and disbursed to the 16 local governments from May 2019 to date.
A statement by the governor’s spokesman, Rafiu Ajakaye, said a panel of inquiry comprising members from backgrounds will be set up to look into the local governments’ funds.
The statement said: “For the sake of accountability and transparency, the governor is hereby inviting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe the funds so far received as allocations and spent by the 16 local governments between May 2019 and now.
“The governor will also set up a panel of inquiry to look into the issue. Members of the panel and its terms of reference will be announced soon.
“This probe is borne out of the fact that this administration has not touched a kobo out of the money belonging to the local governments. It has nothing to hide. But for abundance of caution, the governor will be tasking not just the EFCC, but also a panel of inquiry with members drawn from backgrounds to investigate the local government funds, how they have been spent, and expose any mismanagement or diversion of the funds (if any).
“The call becomes necessary in view of the outrageous claims by some persons that money to the tune of N300million was diverted monthly from the local government accounts.
“The administration feels this deserves to be probed and laid to rest because governance is about public trust.
“Similarly, His Excellency appeals to the House of Assembly, which comprises the elected representatives of the people with oversight powers, to hold a public hearing on the matter.
”The governor restates that he will not be found mismanaging or siphoning public funds. He maintains his stand, which dated back to his days in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), that the local governments should be allowed to manage their funds with minimal or no supervision by the state as the law may allow. He insists that any official found to have diverted or mismanaged public funds under him will be made to account for same as prescribed under the law.”
