By ADAMU ABDULLAHI
KANO state government yesterday issued a white paper
indicting the former governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and two of his
commissioners, just as it directed the state ministry of justice to forward
the case to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the recovery
of missing ecological fund to the tune of N850 million.
The state commissioner of information, Alhaji Garba Yusuf
Abubakar who dropped the hint while briefing the press on the outcome of the
weekly state executive council meeting, said after deliberation, the council
has resolved to issue the white paper on the recommendation of the
commission of inquiry set up to investigate the activities of the past
administration in the state from May 1999 to May 2004.
In a 106-page white paper on the report of the
commission, made available to Daily Triumph, the former governor and his
commissioners of finance and environment, Dr. Hafiz Abubakar and Alhaji Dan
Azumi Gwarzo respectively, have been indicted for their involvement in
mismanagement of public funds.
According to the white paper, during Kwankwaso�s tenure
the state received the sum of N1,493,013,032.59 as ecological fund but that
out of that the sum of N850,051,982.33 was unaccounted for as there was no
evidence of the utilisation of the balance.
Accordingly, Dr. Kwankwaso was indicted for refusing and
neglecting to observe mandatory guidelines vide circular No. SGF/OP/1/5.3/T.4/161
of 15th September, 1999 in spite of the advice by the then commissioner of
environment, late Alhaji Ibrahim Kunya.
In the case of the commissioner of finance, Dr. Hafiz
Abubakar, the white paper found him guilty of misusing his position as
commissioner of finance to withdraw and divert the sum of N62,689,700 meant
for students� maintenance allowance.
Based on this indictment, the state ministry of justice
was therefore directed to refer the case to the EFCC for the recovery of the
stated amount.
In the same case, the former Accountant General of the
state, Alhaji Sani Usman Kura was indicted as the ministry of finance as
well as the office of the state Head of Service were directed to take
appropriate action against him for his role in the fictitious submission to
cover up the diversion of the amount meant for students� maintenance
allowance.
Similarly, the former commissioners of finance and
environment, Dr. Hafiz Abubakar and Alhaji Dan Azumi Gwarzo were indicted in
the case of disbursement of N97,524,000 to NGOs during the 19th April, 2003
election.
In the report, the then governor, Dr. Kwankwaso that
approved the release of the sum of N97,524,000.00 for security but that out
of the said amount, N88 million was disbursed to PDP stalwarts by the two
commissioners and the balance of N9,524,000 was unaccounted for by both
commissioners.
However, the government, Alhaji Abubakar said, has also
received the report, directed the state ministry of justice to refer the
matter to EFCC for the recovery of the said public funds mismanaged by the
commissioners.
Also contained in the white paper, is the government�s
notice on the transactions on special privatization fund, purchase of
balance of WAPCO shares, that of IMB Energy Master Fund, purchase of shares
of FSB and IMB as well as the reported shortcomings involved.
At the end of the press briefing, the commissioner stated: �We have not
received any court injunction restraining the government from issuing a
white paper.�
