The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is probing Senate President Bukola Saraki, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State and the Accountant-General of the state over how a N17billion bond secured by the State Government was spent.
The anti-graft agency suspects that part of the funds may have been diverted into private use. The bond was intended to cover 13 projects and loan refinancing package during the tenures of Saraki as governor and Ahmed,his successor.
The investigation is digging into what has become of the N2billion Asa Dam Mixed Use Development Project and the Ilorin Water Distribution Project which has gulped N3.736billion but without water to drink by residents. The EFCC has already interrogated the Secretary to the State Government, two Permanent Secretaries, the Accountant-General of the state, and about three contractors.
All those invited were said to have made “voluntary statements.” Two ex-commissioners and two members of the House of Representatives may be arrested by the anti-graft agency in connection with the affected projects. But a source in government in Kwara State claimed that EFCC is on a “wild goose chase because the bond has been fully repaid since 2014 without any outstanding liability for the people of Kwara State. “We suspect sheer politics and a plot to intimidate Saraki and Ahmed because 2019 polls are around the corner.”
The fact-sheet sighted by our correspondent listed the affected projects as Aviation College –(N1.5b budgeted, N2.448, 663, 386.56b spent); Asa Dam Mixed Use Development Project (N2b); Kwara State University (N1b); Ilorin Water Distribution Project (N2b allocated, N3.736b spent); Shonga Irrigation Project (N2.9b allocated, N882.9 million paid to contractor); Kwara Advanced Diagnostic Centre( N750m allocated, N1.861b spent); Urban roads (N1.5b allocated but N1.609b spent); Rural and Feeder roads(N200m); Ilorin Metropolitan Street Lights Project(N250m); Kwara Vocational Centre (N650m); Loan refinancing (No evidence of payment of N2.4b to AFDB); Ilorin Township Stadium Project—N1b allocated but N1, 117 430, 700.54 spent; Electrification Project—N462, 144, 291.10; Kwara Mall Project—N500m allocated, $2m deposit in another account
The Nation
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