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Nasarawa Assembly urges Gov Sule to sack SSG over N1bn school renovation fund

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The Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Mr. Aliyu Tijani has been recommended for sack by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.

The House called for Tijani’s sack in a resolution after considering the report of an ad-hoc committee of the House into the alleged mismanagement of the over N1 billion released by the last administration in the state for the renovation and fencing of secondary schools in the 13 local government areas of the state.

The SSG was then the Commissioner for Education when the the money was released in 2018.

The House also ordered the embattled SSG to refund the sum of N284.5 million it said were funds that could not be accounted for.

The Speaker of the House, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, read the decision of the House during plenary in Lafia.

A motion to consider and approve the report was moved by Mr Mohammed Alkali (APC, Lafia North) which was seconded by Ibrahim Muluku (APC, Nasarawa Eggon East).

The Speaker said: “Based on the resolution reached by the lawmakers of the House, Governor Abdullahi Sule should relieve the SSG, Mr Aliyu Ahmed Tijani, of his appointment.”

Read also: NASARAWA: Gov Sule, Al-Makura both deny rift over N18bn debt

The Speaker further added that based on information obtained from the payment vouchers, a total of N873,233,942.60, excluding five per cent, was spent for monitoring and evaluation as payments for completed and uncompleted projects.

“The total released contract sum was N1,084,000,000; if N873, 233,942.60 is deducted from the total contract sum, this will amount to N210, 766, 057.40.

“Then add five per cent monitoring and evaluation which is N37, 718, 499.19. The total sum of unaccounted funds will amount to N248, 484,556.60.

“All contractors who completed their work should be paid immediately by the ministry and all payments made to unknown contractors should be refunded to government coffers immediately.

“Funds should be released to contractors who have the capacity and ability to carry out the work,” the Speaker added.

The SSG however maintained that he would not be in a hurry to offer any reaction to the resolution of the House, when he was contacted for his reaction.

“I wouldn’t like to be in the hurry to react to the house resolution”, Tijani said.

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