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By Amuda Dan Sulaiman FAB.
A former gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Goodman Akwu has described Kogi Governor’s move to probe past administration’s award of contracts as an action by “one who is confused and bereft of ideas in governing a complex state like Kogi.”
In an exclusive interview with Kogiwatch in Lokoja on Friday, Goodman expressed worry at the worsening situation of Kogi people, especially workers, occasioned by the lack of commitment by a man who got to power by providence.
He wondered that Alhaji Yahaya Bello who said he was copying President Muhammadu Buhari’s approach to governance, particularly fighting corruption, “has in the last eight months committed corruption of unimaginable magnitude against the people of the State.”
He was emphatic that Bello got bailout of N20billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pay worker’s salaries, but reneged and diverted the funds to something else.
According to him: “In the last eight months, it’s been a macabre dance by governor Bello; what has he done with bailout funds of N20billion he got from CBN?”
“There was ecological funds of close to N1billion which was left in the coffers by immediate past governor of the state, Captain Idris Wada, and without constructing a single gutter anywhere in the state, the money is gone”, he added.
Akwu wondered why the governor who has at the last count carried out screening exercise of the state’s Civil Service ten times, paid workers salaries only up to January this year, only to purchase official vehicles close to N1billion.
“As I speak with you, most calamitous in the state now are events of burial ceremonies, eight day prayers, and churches conducting burial of their members as a result of hardships”, he said.
He maintained his disdain for corrupt administration, but reasoned that Bello would have taken steps to mitigate social hardship, after which other things can follow suite.
On the local government autonomy which the Governor purportedly granted, Akwu explained that he had chewed his words, as local governments councils were mounted by those who would do his bidding, while he was the one handling their finances.
“He purchased vehicles for caretakers of council areas at spurious prices and if they were autonomous, why can’t they do the purchase by themselves?” he asked.
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