From Yakubu Busari, Jos
Former Chairman of Jos North Local Government Area, Shehu Bala and a group known as Transparency and Accountability Initiative are in verbal combat over alleged diversion of over N250,993,134 from the Council account between January and February, 2023.
Transparency Accountability Initiative made the revelation on last Wednesday after what it called a thorough investigation of the financial records of the Council.
Following it’s investigation, it alleged that some of the funds were paid to some selective councillors who are considered loyal to the former Chairman while some were said to have been disbursed to contractors without evidence of work.
According to the group, there are no documents supporting the procedure for the award of contracts; contracts were not done in accordance with procedures and there are discrepancies with regards to contract sum quotes in the summary sheet bank account statement and budgetary provision.
They claimed, for example, that KEGA MOTORs LTD supplied six vehicles to Jos North LGA at N60,940,500.00 on 15/02/2023 and got paid completely as submitted in the contract summary for Jos North.
The report shows that the first tranche of payment of the contract was in the sum of N25, 000, 317.50 on the 31/01/2023. The total amount paid to KEGA MOTORS LTD is N52,052,317.50.
They observed that the line items in the budget estimate for 2023 was full of repetition suggesting fraudulence. One of the budget item with some economic code appears several times with different estimates.
Also, there was transfer of N10,000,000 from UBA, Jos North office overhead to capital without overhead availing evidence as well as multiple payment into one CECELIA Azi from overhead account proper definition.
“It was based on some of these allegations that the former Jos North Chairman, Shehu Bala and his counterparts across the 17 Local Government Areas refused to submit themselves for investigation by Plateau State House of Assembly that led to their suspension in Office,” the group said
In a swift reaction, Shehu Bala Usman on Sunday described as unfunded and baseless allegations that he embezzled funds over 250 million from the council’s coffers between January and February this year. He described the group Transparency, Accountability and Initiative, as faceless.
The former Chairman, noted that, the allegation as the figment of the imagination of the authors who are working in cohorts with his detractors who to tarnish his image.
According to the chairman all documents relating to the award of contracts are usually go through due diligence and are executed according to specifications by the legislature during their oversight functions.
He said the contract awarded to Kega Motors Limited for the supply of six cars followed due process as the motors were supplied and the supplier paid as enshrined in the contract entered into by the two parties
On the allegation of the 2023 budget which is riddled with repetitions suggesting fraud, the chairman noted that, ” that’s false due to the fact that the document passed through the legislative arm of the council which always undergoes scrutiny by the Plateau State House of Assembly before passing it for execution to the executive arm of the Council.’
“T’he transfer of ten million naira from the UBA overhead account to the duo of Ishaya Atu and Cecilia Azi without proper definition is unfounded as every transaction betweent he council and the bank is appropriately captured, followed due process and well documented.
Usman wondered “why a busy-body, faceless group will make spurious allegations when the authority mandated by law has never at any point in time, invited him for any explanation.”
“Allegations by the Transparency , Accountability and Initiative group that these are some of the accusations levelled against the Jos North Council Chairman and his counterparts across the state clearly indicates that the faceless group is doing the bidding of its paymasters.
He advised the “so-called Transparency, Accountability Initiative not to delve into issues that they are not sufficiently familiar with, as the Shehu Bala Usman led administration is running an open and transparent government which has received awards and commendations for been exemplary in its conduct.”
