The former government of Abdulazeez Yari Abubakar has procured a total of 1,550 vehicles worth 8.4 billion naira between 2011 and 2019.
This was declared by the Chairman of the State Government Project Verification committee Alh Ahmad Zabarma Gusau during a TV show programme of Thunder Blowers “Tiryan Tiryan” on Sunday.
He declared as unfortunate that after the handing over in May 2019, only 531 of these vehicles can be accounted for based on the record made available to the committee noting that, a total of 1,109 vehicles representing 66% can not be accounted for and there is no record anywhere in the government ministries and agencies to established that the vehicles were procured.
He noted further that, the money for these unaccounted vehicles put at 5.4 billion naira was paid 100% based on the e-payment to the contractors with out notification letters for the award of the supply of the vehicles and approval of the state executive council and FGPC.
Zabarma also said, when their committee was set up, they have written three different letters to the Secretary to the state government demanding for the release of the documents related to the procurement of the vehicles tbut there was no response.
He explained further, “when the committee met the SSG, he informed them that he has not met any record related to vehicles purchased by the immediate past administration of Yari from 2011 to 2019.
He further informed this medium that, they have written eight different letters also to the State Ministry of Finance requesting for the release of the documents related to the payment of the vehicles procured but the ministry failed to respond to the committee.
Zabarma said after inviting the Commissioner of Finance he told the committee that, there is no any record in the ministry of finance to that effect.
According to Zabarma it was as a result of the effort of the Commissioner for Finance that, it was later detected that, the money released for the payment of the vehicles was made via a verbal instructions by the former Governor hence the governor has failed to subject the process to appropriate procurement procedures.
