Date Published: 12/16/09

Local Govt. Plundering:  EFCC to the Rescue By Magaji Wilberforce   

       Infact beyond comprehension, it is becoming clearer on daily basis that the people who initially kicked against the imposition of cronies to govern at the third tier of government in Nigeria on the grounds of its undemocratic and unpopular nature, coupled with the (cronies) individual incompetence are gradually being vindicated. This is because currently, in most PDP controlled states, where such doubting Thomases were called all sorts of names for their objection to impose questionable characters to man the local governments most of them have started thumbing their chests, saying with sanctimonious flourish “we have told you earlier”.

       A case in point is the unfolding events that are rearing their ugly heads in Hong Local government area of Adamawa State. Yours sincerely and a league of other concerned citizens who vehemently moved against the imposition of Ibrahim Gayus at the detriment of more responsible and qualified council chairmen materials, have been proved right after all. This is due largely to the fact that, since assumption to office by this guy barely 8 months ago, one is tempted to say that the fine attributes of a good leader have been trampled upon with a bit of recklessness. Indeed, it is a sad commentary that the hitherto highly respected Council area is fast acquiring a disturbing image owing to the way and manner it is being administered in questionable and cult-like circumstances.

       In several inexplicable moves that have inadvertently exposed the Chairman’s incompetence and predilection for alleged criminal acquisitive propensities, he has been awarding mouth-watering and over-inflated contracts/supplies to his godfather’s female friends, relations and his cronies without recourse to due process. Also, since his imposition by a fellow impostor, payment of staff salaries/allowances has permanently remained a herculean task. This is inspite of the prompt monthly allocation to the council from the Federation Account. Under the immediate past council, monthly salaries and allowances were paid as at when due. One will therefore not be wrong to say that, Ibrahim Gayus’ inability to sustain the same tempo of his predecessor is attributed to his alleged profligacy in the handling of the finances of the Local government. This he may be doing, through mismanagement of the Council’s huge sums of money to oil his personal political machine and that of those who planted him on the exalted seat, ahead of the 2012 daydream ambition to relocate to Dougirei Government House, Yola.  

       Sequel to these corrupt tendencies, he is being discussed in hush tones, that he has just taken delivery of 3 petrol tankers for personal use at a whopping sum of over 20 million naira. It is alleged that the money was pilfered from public fund of the Local Government.

       As our man flounders from one avoidable crisis to another, his stay in office as a stooge, has continued to attract opprobrium from civil servants and politicians alike. While the workers are angered by his diversion of their accumulated salary for several months to his personal use, members of the political class are not happy either, considering the Chairman’s ostentatious lifestyle, using public funds at his disposal. He is barely tolerated by these categories of people who see him as an impostor and irritant. Most of them hold the opinion that the man is mainly positioned to siphon and plunder resources meant to transform the Council. 

       Godfathers settlement by their stooges recently reported by some national dailies is said to hamper development and prompt payment of salaries to civil servants in the local governments. It’s no more news that, Hong LGA is culpable in the saga. According to impeccable sources pieced together in Hong and Yola, a substantial amount of money in the neighbourhood of N10 million naira monthly settlement, is disbursed to a serving junior minister from the LGA who imposed him on the people last May. It is further rumoured that, the pact signed between the duo, since assumption to office, will go on till the logical end of the present council.

       It is against this background, that even people considered too close to our man agree that, really he has been a bit reckless with the funds of the council. Infact, the Chairman’s peripatetic proclivity is legendary. For example, aside from his insatiable lust in visiting beer parlous to drink and womanize, he is permanently based in the state capital at the detriment of the job, since his installation as the “Emperor” of Hong on 2/5/2009.            

       According to his traducers, the Chairman sees himself as possessing the legendary wisdom of the biblical King Solomon and as such, he does not brook any opposition to his new lifestyle and or acquisitive propensity. Through weird means, I gathered that he has cowed both junior and senior personnel of the council in submission. But using diabolical means to instill fear into civil servants, working to earn a living, turning them into lollipops and ramming jaundiced decisions down their unwilling throats, should not be anybody’s idea of a genuine leadership.

       What is paramount is to settle down and work for the generality of the people. Although it is not the people that elected him to power, but an individual, however, this is the time when there is a begging need to alleviate the tears – inducing plight of an agrarian society such as Hong LGA.

       The current council’s lack of respect for the sanctity of truth, accountability and transparency means nothing to its leadership. The Chairman’s life does not epitomize accountability at all, his sanctimonious preachments on anti-corruption at meetings with staff and at council meetings notwithstanding. That is why, despite the over 100 million naira monthly allocation to the Local government from the Federation Account, Hong LGA especially under Ibrahim Gayus had remained in strait jacket, lacking basic necessities to function property like its counterpart in the state.

       According to my findings from the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Fiscal Account Allocation Committee in the month of September has allocated the sum of N168, 545, 341.73 to Hong LGA. Before now, a total of over N370 Million revenue was equally allocated to the Council from the Federation Account in the months of June, July and August 2009. Inspite of these huge allocations, Mr. Gayus is only chasing shadows, deceiving people, that monthly subvention meant for development and staff salaries are either not paid and/or deducted from source by the state government authorities. But all these talk are lies.   If one takes a trip to the area as at the time of putting this piece together, even a drooling imbecile will discover that, Hong LGA is run like a cult. It is this politburo-style of Mr. Gayus’ administration that is ruffling not a few feathers there.

       And if all the fears and apprehensions expressed by the staff and residents that, the Chairman is turning the Local government into a moribund organization, through alleged mindless looting are anything to go by, then the time to act and decisively too by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is now. At least to salvage the organization and careers of the teeming innocent civil servants there, the anti graft body under the able leadership of Farida Waziri, currently investigating some officials in Sokoto State for similar financial recklessness, should as a matter urgency visit Adamawa State. They should beam their searchlight on activities of the local governments most especially the current leadership in Hong Local government area, in order that public funds mean for meaningful  development will be salvaged  from further going down the drain. 

Magaji Wilberforce, is based at Wuse 2, Abuja.