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Zamfara govt accuses ex-Gov Yari of diverting N10.8bn varsity fund
Former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari has been accused of diverting N10.8 billion meant for the state’s university project.
The state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Rabiu Garba, made the allegation against Yari’s administration during a press conference in Gusau on Tuesday.
He told newsmen that based on the records “available to us, the past administration in the state had diverted the sum of N10.8 billion from the N37 billion refunded to the state by the federal government for the construction of 14 federal roads.”
Garba went further to say, “We learned that in May 2019, N10.8 billion was transferred to the University’s Projects Account by the past administration in the name of construction of state university.
“The amount was transferred in two tranches, that is N5 billion each, and subsequently N850 million was also transferred to the same account on 9th May 2019.
READ ALSO: Foreigners buy gold with arms in Zamfara —Matawalle
“But instead that the amount transferred to be used for the said project, the money was diverted to other issues that have nothing to do with the university project.”
The commissioner debunked the claim that the Government of Governor Bello Matawalle was not interested to complete the state university located in Talata-Mafara.
He said those making the claim against the incumbent governor were unaware of the fact that part of the fund for the project was allegedly diverted by Yari’s administration.
Asked if the state government was going to continue with the project, he said only the state executive council could decide on that.
Meanwhile, the state commissioner of finance under Yari’s government, Alhaji Mukhtar Idris, is said to have debunked the allegation by the new government.
Idris said that the former government set up a special account for the state university project, adding that part of the money in question was used to execute projects at the site of the university and a balance of about N4 billion of the fund left in the project account.
He, therefore, called on Garba to always ensure he verified matters before presenting them to the public.
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