By Amos Tauna
Kaduna (Nigeria) — Some members of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria, known as Kaduna Restoration Group, have petition President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the diversion of local government funds by Governor Nasir El-Rufai, amounting to N2,384,286,682.35 for 25,103 local government staff.
In a letter signed by chairman of the group, Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, the group also alleged that several workers in Kaduna state have not been paid their salaries, while others are faced with illegal deductions.
The letter addressed to the President dated 26th September, 2017 titled: “Petition Against The Governor Of Kaduna State Malam Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai For Diverting Local Government Council Funds, Subjecting 25,103 Local Government Area Staff To Hardship, Failure To Make Use Of The Bail Out And Two Trenches Of Paris Club Refunds Availed Him By The Federal Government To Settle Staff Salaries Thereby Sabotaging Efforts Of The Federal Government.”
Part of the letter reads, “This is a petition against the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru Ahmad El-rufa’i brought by the Kaduna Restoration Group (KRG), a collection of concerned citizens, comprising bonafide members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), members of other political parties in alliance and non-partisans with like minds, cutting across the local government areas of Kaduna State, with the mission to among other things promote and seek transparency and good governance in the management of public affairs by those in government in consonance with universally acceptable norms.
“The petition is predicated on the fact that by installment the governor earlier deducted the sum amounting to N2,384,286,682.35 from the Local Government Council (LGC) monthly Grants received from the federation account for the period between June, 2015 to June 2016 standing as salaries of 25,103 total number staff and kept in abeyance with the Kaduna State Accountant General pending outcome of the several verification exercises conducted by the State Government.”
The group urged Buhari to use his presidential powers and instruct the anti-graft agencies to investigate their claims.
“As at the date of this letter, it is fifteen (15) months the last of such verification exercises was concluded with the affected staff cleared as genuine and up to date teachers and officers of the respective local government areas of the State and the governor is continuously failing to either pay them their entitlements or refund to the local government their accumulated backlog.
“The Kaduna Restoration Group is aware of the bailout and particularly the two tranches of the Paris Club refunds availed the state governor by the federal government to settle down the staff salaries and he is still indebted with no assurance as to fate that befalls these monies and no time is on sight as to when he may pay the outstanding backlog and by his action or inaction the governor is sabotaging the efforts of the federal government.
“Like other concerned citizens in Kaduna state, the Kaduna Restoration Group becomes more suspicious on the issue when the governor suddenly stated in a live Hausa Media chat on 31st August, 2017 that only 142 staff from all local government areas of the state have outstanding salary arrears for only two (2) to three (3) months to be paid by his government.
