In August this year, the Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong, inaugurated a committee to probe the administration of the past governor of the state, Jonah Jang, who is now a senator. ATANG IZANG writes on the findings so far and the obstacles thrown in the path of the panel.
| Perhaps the most trending news item in Plateau State in the last couple of months is the ongoing public hearing by the Justice Stephen Adah-led six-member commission of inquiry set up by Governor Simon Bako Lalong to investigate his predecessor, Senator Jonah Jang’s financial transactions from May29, 2007 to May29, 2015. |
Although, Plateau people are not alien to such commissions of Inquiry in whatsoever name or form they may appeared to be, what they normally query is the motive behind such an exercise.
It took the governor one year after his inauguration to set up the commission in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 2 of the Commissions of Inquiry Law Cap 25 of the Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963, (as applicable to Plateau State) and other relevant laws.
The commission’s chairman is Justice Stephen Adah, while Alhaji Sani Yahaya Mavo is secretary. Other members of the commission are Prof. Mrs. Bibiana Bawa, Barr. Aliyu Sangei, Prof. Ekoja B. Ekoja and Engr. Samuel Onu Agamah.
The commission was inaugurated on August17, 2016 and it has three months to submit its report. The commission began its hearing at the Azi Nyako Youth Centre, Dadin kowa, Jos South Local Government Area.
The commission’s terms of reference include:
“To ascertain all financial transactions, done or entered into by the Government of Plateau State of Nigeria or through any of its Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), or officials acting in its name from 29th May 2007 to 29th May 2015.
“To ascertain and establish all financial allocations, funds, grants or monetary interventions and revenues which accrued to or in the name of the Government of Plateau State of Nigeria. Departments, Agencies (MDAs), Officials or Agents from the Federal Government of Nigeria or any International Institutions or Donor Agencies from 29th May 2007 to 29th May 2015.
“To ascertain and establish all loans granted to or obtained by the Government of Plateau State of Nigeria through any of its Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and the purpose for which such loans were obtained and whether the loans were used for such purpose.
“To ascertain whether any property belonging to the Government of Plateau State or any of its Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), Parastatals and Institutions which were sold or in any way concessioned to any person(s), or institution(s), by any Government Ministry, Department, Agency (MDAs), or officials between 29th May 2007 and 29th May 2015, followed due process or procedure and whether the proceeds of such sale or concession were paid into appropriate Government coffers.
“To ascertain whether any property or properties purchased or acquired for or in the name of the Government of Plateau State were purchased in line with due process and procedure.
“To ascertain all contracts awarded by the Government of Plateau State or any of its Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), Parastatals or Officials between 29th May 2007 and 29th May 2015, the process or procedure followed in the award of such contracts, the value of each contract (including any variations and whether such variations were necessary and done in good faith), the level of execution or completion of each of them and the amount paid to the contractor as at 29th May 2015.
“To ascertain the total amount paid by the Government of Plateau State as salaries and allowances of serving and retired State Civil Servants, Local Government Employees and Political Appointees from 29th May 2007 to 29th May 2015; And to further establish whether any person or employee of Government received multiple payments of salaries or pensions, and the role played by any person(s) toward such payments.”
A similar commission of inquiry was established in 1999 during the tenure of the former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Chibi Dariye, where government officials, private individuals and companies under the military regimes that preceded his administration were summoned by Sen. Venmark Kurna Dangin, who chaired the commission of inquiry to testify over the alleged anomaly within the system.
Can of worms
Now, nearly three months after the commission began its sittings, what appears to be the financial recklessness by the previous government are gradually being exposed as the major players have been revealing the secrets.
For instance in a recent hearing, the office of the Accountant General of Plateau State, said the Jang led-government squandered over N 548,664,640,654.90 from the year 2007 to 2015 fiscal year.
The Accountant General, Cyril Tsenyil disclosed that a total sum of N549 billion was said to have been received by the former Accountant General between 2007 and 2015 fiscal year but he said amount cannot be accounted for.
Speaking as a Principal witness during the hearing, Tsenyil said a lot of fraud occurred in the office of the Accountant General which are contained mismanagement of statement of accounts report declared in his memo, No. JCI/94/2016 dated 4th October, 2016.
However, it was alleged that some staff of the various ministries who were saddled with the responsibility of serving the former commissioners and permanent secretaries destroyed some vital documents meant for fact-finding.
He listed some of the illegal contracts which didn’t reflect on the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, and contract agreement signed during the Jang administration.
The chairman of the commission, Stephen Adah, condemned the way staff of the commission and civil servants in the affected ministries are now thwarting the efforts of the government in facts-finding.
In one of the hearings, it was revealed that N16.7 billion withdrawn by the office of the Secretary to the Plateau State Government (SSG), under Jang’s administration, was not accounted for.
The commission announced the said discovery while examining witnesses with respect to a memo against Jang and the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.
The chairman of the commission, while analysing the contents of the memo, observed that the N16.7 billion sum was allegedly withdrawn by one Yusuf Pam, a former cashier, attached to the office of the SSG, during the period under review.
Kelvin Bamshak, former Director, Finance and Supply, Office of the SSG, while standing as a witness, told the commission that it was a “classified expenditure”.
Bamshak said that the purpose for the withdrawal, and how it was expended, was known only to Jang.
He also revealed that N100 million was released as running cost to `Operation Rainbow’, a security outfit established by Jang, to complement the Police and the Special Task Force, in addressing lingering security issues.
Pam, who made the withdrawals, while taking his turn on the witness box, corroborated Bamshak’s testimony, adding that the N16.7 billion which he withdrew was based on “executive directive from the former governor”.
He told the commission that he was given security backup to withdraw the cash, and disclosed that each withdrawal was “usually a maximum of N150 million, which is always delivered to the governor”.
The commission also observed that another N5 million was withdrawn via the Automated Teller Machine in 2010, and revealed that the money could not be traced to anyone as no beneficiary was identified.
He said, in the year 2015, N2.2 billion was received as small medium enterprises funds but disappeared and another N2.5 billion Paris Club of 2011 was returned to Plateau State Government by the Nasarawa State Government as compensation for debts service, which money was deducted from Plateau for payment of London Club debt.
The Accountant General also traced some looted funds to Zenith Bank account dated 23rd May, 2011 to the tune of N 5 billion and another N8 billion water treatment plan to CPC contract.
According to him, mass looting occurred during the transaction and the relevant vital documents were destroyed by unknown persons in the night.
Ruse or Reality?
Lalong while inaugurating the commission said the inquiry became necessary
because of the magnitude of information at his disposal, beginning from the submission of the Transition Committee, headed by his Deputy Governor, Prof. Sonni Gwanle Tyoden and the various ministerial verification committees, as well as the preliminary audit and accounts reconciliation committee which revealed huge debts inherited from the last administration.
Responding through his media aide, Clinton Garuba, Jang said at the time that he joyfully welcomed the development in the interest of peace and stability.
The aide in a press statement said; “for the umpteenth time, he (Jang) finds it most apt to reiterate his stand on the issue in perspective, as it relates to his stewardship in Plateau State which has undoubtedly benefited the people that he absolutely without equivocation has nothing to hide.
“As at the last count, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry is the fifth committee Lalong has constituted, mandated, empowered, and inaugurated to probe the tenure of the former Governor and like the rest before it, nothing would be gained except the visible characteristics of all associated with power acquired by accident.
“From the Deputy Governor’s committee to the others who engaged in arithmetic abracadabra to bamboozle people with figures which existed only in the minds of their apologists and praise singers, so much money has been expended in what is now a wild goose chase.”
The bottom line
Nevertheless, the present commission of inquiry must do justice to all by ensuring that only those who wronged the state are made to face the full wrath of the law.
