The Nasarawa State House of Assembly, on Monday, indicted Governor Tanko Almakura over alleged N3 billion extra budgetary expenses.
Presenting the report of the House Committee on Public Accounts, the Committee Chairman, Francis Orogo (PDP – representing Keana Constituency), said that the action of the state government amounted to misconduct and a breach of the constitution.
Nasarawa State Governor
Mr. Orogu said three departments of the executive – Government House, Deputy Governor’s office and the office of the
Secretary to the State Government, SSG –misappropriated N3 billion, which, according to the committee chairman, was not part of the budget.
The report alleged that the Government House misappropriated N29.9 million, SSG office – N1.7 billion, and Deputy Governor’s office – N80 million.
Apart from the extra budgetary expenses, the report alleged that the N350 million flood grant for 2012 had been moved from the State Emergency Management Agency’s account to the SSG’s office, and that N100 million out of the money had already been spent.
Mr. Orogu said that N900 million was missing from the accounts of the state Sure-P programme, leaving N2 billion from the N3 billion accrued to the state. He explained that the state received N190 million monthly from the Sure-P programme.
After the House’s sitting, Mr. Orogu told journalists that the House’s oversight function was meant to correct abnormalities, but the state government had refused to change its attitude of going outside the budget.
He disclosed that N1billion from the N3 billion extra budgetary expenses was incurred this year – despite several warnings, while the remaining was from last year.; saying the lawmakers could remove the governor from office if found guilty.
”We will remove (the Governor) if a case of misappropriation is established,” Mr. Orogu said.
Before the submission of the report on public accounts, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Abdulkarim Usman (PDP – representing Wamba constituency), had equally indicted the Executive for spending N24 million on Mararraba Medical Centre, which, according to Mr. Usman, was not appropriated in the budget.
Mr. Usman also disclosed that the state government had spent an extra N30 million on the ongoing construction of the medical centre, located along Shendam Road, Lafia.
He said that only N100 million was appropriated for the project but that N130 million had been spent even while the project was still on going.
However, Bala Adams (APC – representing Keffi– East constituency) urged the media to cross check the allegations with the executive, to find out whether those figures were really true.
At the end of its sitting, the House set up a committee to harmonise reports submitted by various committees, including Public Accounts, Health, Local Government and Capital Market.
Tension earlier settled over the House as over 50 mobile police officers stormed the premises amidst rumours of commencent of impeachment proceedings against the governor.
